Definition and scope

Integrated Maritime Surveillance is about providing authorities interested or active in maritime surveillance with ways to exchange information and data. Sharing data will make surveillance cheaper and more effective.

Currently, EU and national authorities responsible for different aspects of surveillance – e.g. border control, safety and security, fisheries control, customs, environment or defence – collect data separately and often do not share them. As a result, the same data may be collected more than once.

If you are interested in other specific surveillance activities, anti-piracy measures, or maritime safety and security in general, check our recommended links.

Video: Integrated Maritime Surveillance

How does it work in practice?

A Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) is currently being developed jointly by the European Commission and EU/EEA member states. It will integrate existing surveillance systems and networks and give all concerned authorities access to the information they need for their missions at sea.

CISE will make different systems interoperable so that data and other information can be exchanged easily through the use of modern technologies. A roadmap has been adopted to develop the CISE.

The Commission recently adopted a Communication on the next steps for the Common Information Sharing Environment for the EU maritime domain.

Official documents

• CISE - Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - COM(2014)451 final
  • Press release
    • Questions and answers
  • Impact assessment - SWD(2014)225 final
    • Executive summary - SWD(2014)224 final
• CISE - Studies
  • Benchmarking the operational added value and preparing end users' uptake of the maritime CISE
  • The development of the CISE for the surveillance of the EU maritime domain and the related Impact Assessment:
    • Executive summary
    • Part 1 (Appendix C, Appendix D)
    • Part 2
    • Sustainability and Efficiency of Visions for CISE
• GEARC Conclusions on Integration of Maritime Surveillance (23.5.2011)
• Common Information Sharing Environment - Roadmap (COM(2010) 584) - user-friendly version
• Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on a Draft Roadmap towards establishing of the Common Information Sharing Environment for the surveillance of the EU maritime domain (COM(2010)584 final)
• GAERC Conclusions on the Integration of Maritime Surveillance (17.11.2009)
• EU led actions relevant for the integration of maritime surveillance activities (Commission staff working document - 2009)
• Commission communication on the integration of maritime surveillance (2009)
• Working documents on offshore activities of littoral EU countries and cross-border cooperation
• Working document III on maritime surveillance systems
• GAERC Conclusions on Integrated Maritime Policy and Maritime Surveillance (8.12.2008)
• Commission staff working document on maritime surveillance (SEC(2008) 2737)
• Maritime surveillance - Overview of ongoing activities (EU Council document, 2008)

More info

Projects

• CoopP: The Cooperation Project is paving the way for smooth data transmission and easy access, whenever relevant, between public authorities (including EU Agencies) in the execution of the defined maritime surveillance functionalities.
• MARSUNO – Pilot project on Maritime Surveillance in the Northern Sea Basins (closed)
• BLUMASSMED - Pilot project on Integration of Maritime Surveillance in the Mediterranean Sea and its Atlantic approaches (2009-2012)

Maritime Forum

• Maritime surveillance section (background info, working documents, events)

Maritime affairs

• All news (press releases, speeches, etc)
  • Speaking points Damanaki video intervention Helsinki (December 2013)
• Studies
• Publications
• Links to EU and international organisations
• Videos
  • Video message from Commissioner Damanaki for the Conference of the Cooperation Project in Helsinki (December 2013)