European Coast Guard Functions Forum - 28 and 29 September 2017

The Belgian Coast Guard secretariat participated to the ninth plenary session of the European Coast Guard Function Forum (ECGFF). This session took place on 28-29 September 2017 at the European Maritime Security Agency (EMSA) headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal.

Supported by the European Commission, this Forum, which dates back to 2009, brings together national coastguard authorities from EU member states and associated Schengen countries who jointly work on issues such as multi-agency multinational operations and capacity building among coast guard academies. The Commission envisages closer coordination with the ECGFF and its gradual integration into the EU Agencies' framework, thereby opening the way to incorporating crucial expert advice when providing support to national coast guard authorities in their daily work.

At the end of the meeting the ECGFF chairmaship was handed over from Portugal to Germany.