As Morski writes on the 31st of January, 2020, on Thursday, the Croatian Government adopted the Decision on the Presidency of the Republic of Croatia over the European Coast Guard Forum from the 1st of September 2020 to the 1st of September 2021.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Tomislav Ivic, said that the European Coast Guard Forum acts as an organisation on a voluntary basis. which includes representatives of the coast guard function holders of EU member states and the Schengen area, as well as representatives of various EU agencies.
”The tasks of the European Coast Guard Forum are to exchange information, improve co-operation, joint training and the implementation of laws to combat security challenges in the fields of border protection, navigation safety, search and rescue, marine environment protection and fisheries control. The assumed presidency of the forum would be from September 2020 to September 2021,” said Tomislav Ivic.
He emphasised that the presidency of the European Coast Guard Forum is of the utmost importance as it enhances Croatia’s national capacity to protect the rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia and the European Union at sea and at the same time represents an improvement of the country’s security system through the synergy of numerous state bodies.
Established back in 2009, the European Coast Guard Forum is an independent, non-political forum, accessed on a voluntary basis and composed of 25 EU member states, Schengen countries and EU institutions and agencies who hold responsibility for the implementation of coast guard functions.
The objectives of the forum are to enhance data sharing and confidence building among members, to enhance international, interagency co-operation, as well as joint training and the implementation of regulations, to encourage the identification of common solutions through the exchange of best practices and to promote the development of common operational and technical standards and training procedures.
The tasks of the European Coast Guard Forum are the exchange of information, the promotion of co-operation for border control at sea, the safety of navigation, search and rescue missions, the protection of the marine environment, fighting against human and narcotic trafficking, the control of fisheries, and the development and improvement of joint projects.
With its current EU Presidency, Croatia intends to position and strengthen its role within the European Union, actively participate in enhancing the co-operation of member states in the protection of individual and common interests at sea, raise the level of readiness in carrying out joint coordinated activities and operations at sea within and outside the European Union, and promote Croatia as a whole as a country with a regulated system of maritime security and as a safe tourist destination.
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