Spain to chair the European Coast Guard Functions Forum in 2027

The forum is promoted by EMSA, Frontex and EFCA and comprises 30 countries from the EU and the European Schengen area.

Spain will chair the European Coast Guard Functions Forum (ECGFF) of the European Union next year. This was agreed at the latest meeting of Forum representatives held in Lisbon, at the headquarters of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), following the candidacy submitted by the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy (DGMM) of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.

The ECGFF is an autonomous, non-binding, voluntary and independent forum that brings together more than 30 national coast guard authorities from EU countries and Schengen-associated states. Its aim is to promote understanding and development of maritime issues of common interest related to coast guard functions. The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) promote the meetings and participate as observers.

Spain will take over from Italy, the current chair of the Forum, during the plenary meeting scheduled for October this year in Catania (Sicily).

The presidency lasts one year and is responsible for coordinating the forum’s activities, which include an international maritime rescue exercise, a plenary session with all members, and three workshops involving representatives from each country linked to EMSA, EFCA and Frontex.

The Director General of the Merchant Navy, Ana Núñez, expressed her gratitude for the acceptance of the candidacy and her willingness to work with all members of the Spanish delegation in this new challenge. She also noted that Spain is a European benchmark in coast guard and maritime search and rescue matters.