Coastguard for Europe sails up Union’s agenda

The idea of a European coastguard has been suggested intermittently over the years, the calls usually prompted by some unforeseen drama.

In 2002 the oil tanker Prestige sank after wrangling between the Spanish, French and Portuguese authorities who could not agree over which harbour the stricken vessel should be taken to, with the threat that it would leak oil.

In the event, it was left to the mercy of the waves, broke up and sank, polluting the Galician coastline. Afterwards, MEPs, environmental groups and even some ship-owners began pressing for a European coastguard which could better monitor ships passing into European waters and guard against environmental disasters.

More recently, illegal immigration has pushed the notion back up the agenda.

A quick scramble last year to help Spain, Italy and Malta deal with an unprecedented influx of immigrants sailing from Africa saw joint operations set up under Frontex, the EU’s border agency, involving patrols of ships and aircraft from various member states.

A communication published by the European Commission last November seeks to bring this action on to another level.

The paper proposes a "permanent coastal patrol network for the southern maritime external borders" which would allow member states "to co-ordinate their patrol schedules, pool their civilian and military assets and exchange strategic and tactical information in real time".

The paper says that, "this could also be seen as a possible forerunner of a fully fledged European coastguard service".

Mention is also made in the communication of a European surveillance system to monitor maritime borders and a regional command centres to co-ordinate patrols.

A Commission policy paper due out in the autumn, following a green paper on maritime policy last year, is expected to address the idea of a European coastguard.

But while co-operation has been increasing between member states to combat difficulties posed by environmental problems or illegal immigration, EU governments are likely to be oppose any substantial relinquishing of powers over their maritime borders to make way for a European coastguard.

The idea of a European coastguard has been suggested intermittently over the years, the calls usually prompted by some unforeseen drama.