Initially tasked by the Steering Board (SB) in 2005, the Agency is currently tackling several work strands under the heading of Maritime Surveillance. While the topics “Maritime Mine Counter Measures” and “Future Unmanned Aerial Systems” already are being addressed in ad hoc Category B settings, “Maritime Surveillance Networking” is still being worked on in a Working Group chaired by Finland and comprising 15 pMS.
At the end of 2010 it is foreseen that a demonstration phase with six volunteer participating Member States (pMS) will start which will prove the value of data and information sharing for a better informed decision making for Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations in the Maritime Domain.
As of today, the EU Commission, European Agencies, and the Council General Secretariat, are working on Maritime Surveillance. However, work is being tackled from a range of different requirements. While the EDA is addressing this topic in the context of CSDP, the Commission and Agencies are tackling it from civilian security, economic and safety related angles in the context of the EU Integrated Maritime Policy
Also, the EU Member States and other CSDP maritime actors are working on Maritime Surveillance. Responsibilities for Maritime Surveillance in EU Member States are diverse, respective legal foundations are heterogeneous, terminology used in the context of Maritime Surveillance differs both in terms of wording and meaning, and the available technology and access to sensors for all parties working on Maritime Surveillance varies widely.
The current overall security environment in the maritime domain for the EU and its Member States is characterized by a spectrum of threats which encompass illegal migration, a variety of organized crime activities, environmental, economic, asymmetric and non-conventional threats as well as the classical military threats. Due to this complexity, the current situation simply does not allow a strict division into civilian and military related aspects of security. Instead it demands a well coordinated approach in order to protect the interests of the EU and of the International Community successfully. In addition to the required European comprehensive approach, it is vital that the Maritime Surveillance capability also links with all relevant non-EU partners, be it nations or organisations.
Taking this complexity of Maritime Surveillance into account, the EDA Steering Board supported the proposal for EDA to nominate a “Wise Pen” for producing a Maritime Surveillance CSDP think piece in order to contribute to an integrated EU approach, and to focus the Agency’s further work in this field.
Five major seafaring pMS nominated high calibre candidates who now form the “Wise Pen Team”. Team members are Vice Admirals (retired)
Fernando del Pozo (ES) , Sir Anthony Dymock (UK), Lutz Feldt (DE), Patrick Hebrard (FR), and Ferdinando Sanfelice di Monteforte (IT) who started work in mid July 2009.
From the very beginning, the Team was strongly supported by the former Swedish Presidency which regarded the establishment of an integrated approach to Maritime Surveillance vital in order to ensure synergies between sectoral policies.
Consequently, the Wise Pens’ Intermediate Report served as input for the EXTERNAL RELATIONS Council meeting in Brussels on 17 November 2009 at the end of the Swedish Presidency.
Invaluable for the substance of the Wise Pen Team work, however, are the excellent relationship established with and the cooperation of critical stakeholders on the Brussels scene and at the national level: the EU Commission, the Council General Secretariat, EUMC and EUMS, several agencies like EMSA, FRONTEX and ESA are just a few of the European actors. In addition, major external stakeholders like NATO, the USA and Canada provide insight and first hand experience for the Team.
Having delivered the well appreciated Intermediate Report to the EDA SB in October 2009, the Team is currently collecting further input for the Final Report which is due to be delivered to the EDA SB in March 2010.
Continuing strong support of the current Spanish Presidency promotes the Wise Pen Team’s work and will guarantee the delivery of a substantial Final Report which will contribute significantly to an EU integrated approach to Maritime Surveillance and to the Commissions work on an integrated Maritime Policy.
The Wise Pen Team
A different approach to achieve comprehensive Maritime Surveillance.
During the past six months of our work for EDA on a Maritime Surveillance “Think Piece” we have had ample opportunity to discuss this topic. Even for us old salts, it has been a surprise to discover the huge number of actors with different responsibilities in maritime safety, security and defence, just within the EU. All three pillars (in pre-Lisbon language), some ten Directorates General and five Agencies, not including those closely related to but not belonging to the EU, such as ESA, MAOC-N and CECLAD –M, have direct responsibility for Maritime Surveillance. Even this large number reflects only a part of maritime activity; naval and coast guard activity as well as all kinds of trade play also important roles. Finally, Maritime Surveillance does not take place without satellite and space involvement.
The importance of cooperation with third parties is another crucial issue. NATO with its ambitions and capabilities is in a process of developing its own solutions. Since Alliance initiatives and concepts necessarily reflect the views of 21 EU Member States (which are also full members of NATO) as well as the USA and Canada, European Maritime Surveillance initiatives would be well advised to identify similarities which present an early opportunity to identify a common way ahead.
Based on this first hand insight into the different requirements and experiences and having got at least a good flavour of the real complexity of Maritime Surveillance, we now know more precisely what we want and do not want to achieve: We are focused on Europe, but will create bridges to third countries and the commercial world. We want to find a comprehensive way in which “cross-pillar”, cross-sector and cross-border recommendations will be the core of our Think Piece. Effectiveness, affordability, a clear division of labour between all relevant actors, and the conformity with the legal framework will be major benchmarks for these recommendations. They will be based on a clear set of definitions and follow the principle that as a first step basic data[1] must be shared without restriction.
As we know the general reluctance to share information and knowledge, we will propose a step by step approach to overcome this problem and to develop an information sharing culture. Key to initial success will be the readiness of decision makers at various levels to act accordingly. Likewise, associated cultural challenges as different languages and education between the civilian, military, commercial and financial worlds have to be overcome and a new culture must be engendered which favours building trust and confidence between all actors.
Although, we do not know yet what implications the Lisbon Treaty will have in general, we think that a comprehensive approach to Maritime Surveillance has to overcome objections based on existing principles.
While we can not see any need for changes in the responsibilities for safety (civilian) and defence (military) related aspects, we believe the grey area in between -security- provides ample opportunity for improvement. From our perspective, we could achieve a mutual understanding between all authorities involved based on the principle of “supporting” and “supported” command roles.
Technology wise, we have seen some very encouraging solutions. We do not expect interoperability and architecture to be problems for cooperation. We do not see the benefit and, therefore, are not in favour of a centralized and/or hierarchical “system of systems”; instead we prefer the concept of a federated or “family” of systems.
With regard to a suitable legal framework we believe that sometimes legal or regulatory barriers are being used to protect sectoral solutions. But we are convinced that ways and bridges can be found which will meet the concerns of different authorities while serving their own interests and creating mutual benefit.
We think experimentation and time limited exercises could demonstrate that information sharing is an important step towards better maritime safety, security and defence.
The Commission’s Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) involves security activities, such as protection of ports and shipping, law enforcement and border control. We conclude that the IMP and CSDP in the end should be coordinated.
The Commission´s Green Paper “Towards a future Maritime Policy for the Union” refers to the EUMC`s work in the maritime dimension of CSDP. From our perspective, Operation “Atalanta” could offer a realistic opportunity and challenge to begin such a process of coordination and cooperation.
Although a common set of procedures, regulations and templates will be key to success, what we need most is a culture of co-ordination as an essential element of information sharing to serve our mutual interest: Maritime Safety, Security and Defence.
[1] We assess data as being the first and lowest level of the sequence: data – information – knowledge.
Keine Kommunikationsobjekte vorhanden.
