Commission staff working document - EU led actions relevant for the integration of maritime surveillance activities - Accompanying document to the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Towards the integration of maritime surveillance: A common information sharing environment for the EU maritime domain {COM(2009) 538}
Date: 2009-10-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: computer system, cross-border cooperation, external border of the EU, information system, maritime area, maritime surveillance, transmission network

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 15.10.2009 
SEC(2009) 1341 final 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 
EU led actions relevant for the integration of maritime surveillance activities 

Accompanying document to the  

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Towards the integration of maritime surveillance: 

A common information sharing environment for the EU maritime domain 

{COM(2009) 538} 

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COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

EU led actions relevant for the integration of maritime surveillance activities 

The  Commission’s  Communication  ''Towards  the  integration  of  maritime  surveillance:  A 
common information sharing environment for the EU maritime domain'' of 14 October 20091 
sets out guiding principles enabling the various sectoral maritime surveillance and monitoring 
initiatives  to  converge  towards  the  establishment  of  a  Common  Information  sharing 
Environment. 

The  purpose  of  the  present  Commission  Staff  Working  Document  complementing  the 
Communication  is  to  provide  the  latest  state  of  play  and  a  brief  description  of  Commission 
initiatives and projects supported by the Commission which are relevant for the integration of 
maritime surveillance 

Action 

Objective 

Timing 

Preparatory  action  - 
Automatic 
Identification System 
(AIS) from space 

Preparatory  action  to  assess  the  effectiveness  of 
space-based receivers in picking up AIS signals in 
collaboration  with  the  European  Space  Agency 
(ESA). 

December 
October 2010 

2008 

-

Implementation 
of 
Directive  2002/59  as 
amended 
by 
Directive 2009/17 

E-maritime 

VTMIS  will  regulate  the  national,  regional,  intra 
community  and  international  provision  of  and 
cooperation  between  all  authorities  operational 
services  and  other  entities  responsible  for  or 
involved  in  maritime  safety,  port  and  maritime 
security, protection of the marine environment, the 
efficiency  of  maritime 
traffic  and  maritime 
transport  and  some  customs  requirements  (T2M, 
the proof of Community status for products of sea-
fishing  and  other  products  taken  from  the  sea  by 
Community vessels). 

Developing  the  existing  technical  support  system 
SafeSeaNet  (SSN)  is  an  important  step  in  the 
VTMIS implementation process. 

A  broad  and  embracing  initiative  in  the  maritime 
transport sector aimed at facilitating and supporting 
the development and take up of the latest enabling 
ICT technologies for the improvement of maritime 
transport  services  as  part  of  the  integrated  EU 
transport system. 

2009-2016 

2009 - 2018 

1 

COM (2009) XXX final  

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Project 

on 
Pilot 
for 
support 
surveillance 
and 
protection  measures 
Community 
for 
vessels 
sailing 
through  areas  where 
piracy is a threat 

Aims  to  develop  and  test  measures  that  could 
contribute  towards  better  maritime  awareness  and 
protection 
in  areas 
for  Community  vessels 
threatened  by  piracy.  The  Horn  of  Africa  and  the 
targeted. 
Gulf  of  Aden  will  be  particularly 
Measures  will  be  based  on  increased  maritime 
awareness,  communication,  cooperation  and  threat 
analysis. 

2010 - December 2011

Critical  Maritime 
Routes  programme 
(I) 

The overall objective is to contribute to the security 
and  safety  of  navigation  of  the  Straits  of  Malacca 
and Singapore and of the Gulf of Aden and Bab El 
Mandeb Straits. 

2010 - 2012 

The  first  satellites  are 
expected  for  launch  in 
2011-12.  Operational 
services  are  expected 
to  be  available  from 
2014.  The  results  of 
working  groups  are 
expected 
be 
available in 2009-10. 

to 

Development 
and 
implementation  phase 
2008 - 2015 

Global  Monitoring 
for  the  Environment 
and 
Security 
(GMES) 

GMES  is  financing  with  ESA  the  development  of 
satellites  that  could  provide  data  relevant  to 
maritime  aspects.  Two  GMES-Security  working 
groups  on  border  surveillance  and  EU  external 
action  were  set  up  for  which  synergies  between 
defence and civil applications are highly sought. 

European 
Border 
Surveillance  System 
(EUROSUR) 

EUROSUR  will  provide  a  common  technical 
framework to support Member States' authorities in 
reaching  full  situational  awareness  at  the  southern 
and  eastern  EU  external  borders  and  increase  the 
reaction  capability  of 
their  border  control 
authorities.  A  decentralised  system  of  (existing) 
systems  will  be  established  gradually  in  three 
phases, which, in brief, consist of 

-  Reinforcing  the  border  surveillance  capacity  of 
fostering  cooperation 

Member  States,  and 
between them; 

-  Developing  new  tools  and  concepts  at  EU  level 
to  be  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  Member  States; 
and 

-  Integrating  the  needs  and  tools  of  all  aspects  of 
maritime 
common 
information sharing environment along the lines 
set out in this Communication. 

surveillance 

one 

in 

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Fisheries 
Draft 
Control Regulation – 
COM 
(2008)  721 
final 

Pilot  project  on  the 
exchange  of  radar–
information 
VTS 
through SafeSeaNet 

Article  12  of  the  proposal  aims  at  enabling  VMS, 
AIS  and  VDS  data  collected  in  the  framework  of 
this  Regulation  to  be  transmitted  to  Commission 
agencies  and  other  public  authorities  of 
the 
Member  States  engaged  in  surveillance  operations 
for  the  purpose  of  maritime  safety  and  security, 
border 
the  marine 
environment  and  general  law  enforcement.  New 
Art 17g of the proposal aims at contributing to the 
implementation of the EU maritime policy enabling 
the  CFCA  to  contribute  to  the  integrated  maritime 
policy. 

control,  protection  of 

Ongoing in the Western Mediterranean. It is led by 
EMSA  with  participation  from  Spain,  France  and 
Italy  as  well  as  in  cooperation  with  Frontex  and 
CFCA, aiming to exchange radar-VTS information 
through SafeSeaNet using SSN as a platform upon 
which  AIS  and  RADAR  data  are  merged,  and  to 
seek  synergies  between  the  fishing  monitoring 
system (VMS) and SSN. 

project 

on 
Pilot 
"Monitoring 
and 
Information  Systems 
for  Reducing  Oil 
the 
Pollution 
Black Sea" 

in 

and 

prevent 

The  project  should  enable  the  coastal  states  to 
better 
to 
operational/accidental/illegal  oil  pollution.  Within 
this  long  term  policy  approach,  and  in  support  of 
decision  making  towards  reduction/elimination  of 
oil  pollution  in  the  Black  Sea,  the  project  will 
pursue the following objectives: 

respond 

Expected 
adoption: 
2009 

timing  of 
October 

Implementation 
expected  to  start  1st 
semester 2010 

Objectives  by  the  end 
2010 

-  Improved  information  system  for  combating  oil 
information 
fostering  oil-related 

pollution, 
exchange 

-  Enhanced  monitoring  system  of  operational  and 

accidental pollution, 
-  Capacity  building 

response 
capabilities,  including  risk  management  and 
emergency preparedness planning 

for  enhanced 

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Glossary and abbreviations in the context of Integrated Maritime Surveillance 

AIS 

BSBC 

Automatic Identification System. A ship borne mechanism that automatically 
provides  for  the  exchange  of  information  between  ships  as  well  as  the 
provision of such data to coastal stations. Information includes identification, 
position, speed course and certain other items about the ship and its cargo. 

Black  Sea  Border  Cooperation.  Agreement  on  cooperation  between  the 
Border and Coast Guard authorities of the Black Sea littoral States. 

BSRBCC 

Baltic  Sea  Region  Border  Control  Cooperation.  A  regional  tool  for  daily 
inter-agency (Police, Customs and Border authorities) interaction to combat 
cross-border crime and environmental protection of the maritime areas. 

CeCLAD-M 

Centre  de  Coordination  pour  la  Lutte  Anti-Drogue  en  Méditerranée.  This 
anti-narcotics  law  enforcement  initiative  to  curb  drug  smuggling  in  the 
Western  Mediterranean  Sea  was  launched  under  the  French  Presidency  in 
2008.  CeCLAD-M,  which  is  opened  to  all  EU  Member  States  and  North 
African  countries  in  the  region,  opted  for  bilateral  intelligence  sharing  to 
combat narcotics trafficking. 

CleanSeaNet 

A  satellite  based  monitoring  system  for  marine  oil  spill  detection  and 
surveillance in European waters provided  by  the  European  Maritime  Safety 
Agency. 

COP 

EDA 

EEA 

Common operational picture 

European Defense Agency 

European Environment Agency 

EMSA 

European Maritime Safety Agency 

ESA 

European Space Agency 

EUROSUR 

European  Border  Surveillance  System.  It  will  be  built  as  a  "system  of 
(existing) systems", aiming to assist Member States achieve full awareness of 
the situation at their external borders, especially at the southern and eastern 
EU  external  borders,  and  enhancing  the  reaction  capability  of  their  law 
enforcement services. 

FRONTEX 

European  Agency  for  the  Management  of  Operational  Cooperation  at  the 
External Borders of the Member States of the European Union 

GMES 

Global  Monitoring  for  the  Environment  and  Security.  GMES  will  be  the 
European  programme  implementing  an  Earth  observation  service  system 
with satellites, sensors on the ground, floating in the water or flying through 
the  air  to  monitor  our  planet's  environment  and  to  support  the  security  of 
citizens. 

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LRIT 

MAOC-N 

MSSIS 

Long  Range  Identification  and  Tracking  (of  Ships).  Long  range  vessel 
monitoring system introduced by the International Maritime Organisation in 
2006,  requiring  the  periodic  transmission  of  the  identity  and  position  of 
vessels. Transmissions are via satellite to LRIT Data Centres. Only the flag 
state, plus the contracting (port) state of the ship's destination and the coastal 
state within a distance not exceeding 1000 n.m. of its coast have access to the 
data. 

Maritime  Analysis  and  Operations  Centre  –  Narcotics.  Law  enforcement 
supported  military  intelligence-led  platform,  based  in  Lisbon,  which 
coordinates  anti-narcotics  operations  in  the  eastern  Atlantic  Ocean  from 
Iceland  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Law  enforcement  agencies  from  7 
Member  States  have  set  up  this  voluntary  information  exchange  system  in 
order  to  get  an  intelligence  picture  targeting  vessels  involved  in  narcotics 
trafficking 

Maritime  Safety  and  Security  Information  System  (NATO).  Based  around 
the  acquisition  and  analysis  of  AIS  data,  gathered  from  the  AIS  systems  of 
NATO  Member  States.  From  the  MSSIS  the  data  is  fed  into  NATO's 
Maritime  Command  and  Control  Information  System  (MCCIS),  which  is 
classified and includes also intelligence and classified surveillance data. 

PT MARSUR 

European  Defence  Agency's  "Project  Team  Maritime  Surveillance".  The 
basic objective is to explore the needs and requirement for a European Naval 
Surveillance System. 

Recognised 
Maritime Picture 

Terminology  used  by  the  defence  community,  equivalent  to  Maritime 
situational awareness. 

SafeSeaNet 

SUCBAS 

Community  maritime  information  and  exchange  system.  SafeSeaNet  shall 
enable  the  receipt,  storage,  retrieval  and  exchange  of  information  for  the 
purpose of maritime safety, port and maritime security, marine environment 
protection and the efficiency of maritime traffic and maritime transport. 

Sea  Surveillance  Cooperation  Baltic  Sea.  Sea  surveillance  information 
exchange  and  co-operation  platform  within  the  Baltic  Sea  area  and  its 
approaches. In March 2009 meeting in Helsinki, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, 
Germany, Lithuania and Sweden signed the SUCBAS agreement. Latvia and 
Poland have asked for membership. 

T2M 

(Customs) document certifying the Community status of fisheries products. 

VDS 

VMS 

Vessel  Detection  System.  Council  Regulation  1966/2006  foresees  operational 
use  of  satellites  in  contexts  where  cost  effectiveness  can  be  proven,  starting  in 
January  2009.  The  Vessel  Detection  System  relies  on  polar  orbiting  satellites 
carrying Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments which can detect vessels 
at sea under most conditions – day and night and through cloud. 

Vessel  Monitoring  System.  In  connection  to  the  implementation  of  the 
Common Fisheries Policy, EC legislation provides for the establishment and 
operation  of  a  satellite-based  VMS  by  each  Member  State,  in  order  to 

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monitor the position and movement of fishing vessels. 

VR-MTC 

Virtual  Maritime  Traffic  Centre.  Run  by  the  Italian  Navy,  it  is  a  virtual 
network  connecting  naval  operational  centres  located  in  the  Mediterranean 
and  the  Black  Sea.  It  is  based  on  a  specific  Operational  Agreement  and 
provides EU and non-EU Navies with unclassified information about vessel 
movement in the area. 

VTM (IS) 

Vessel  Traffic  Monitoring  (Information  System).  Established  by  Directive 
2002/59/EC, as amended by Directive 2009/17/EC, on the establishment of a 
Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system. 

VTS 

Vessel Traffic Services. Shore based systems which range from the provision 
of information messages to the extensive management of maritime traffic. 

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