EU: MARITIME SURVEILLANCE & SEARCH AND RESCUE
16 October 2013
This draft Report from the LIBE Committee proposes small changes to Articles 6-9 except for deleting: "(e) ordering the ship to modify its course outside of or towards a destination other than the territorial sea or the contiguous zone, including escorting the vessel or steaming nearby until the ship is heading on such course" Justification: The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea provides for the freedom of navigation on the high seas. It is therefore not possible for a participating unit to order the ship to modify its course on the high seas."
See the text:
Draft European Parliament report: on the proposal for a regulation establishing rules for the surveillance of the external sea borders in the context of operational cooperation coordinated by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Members States of the EU (pdf).
And see Background on the issue of "Search and rescue":
Council of the European Union: NOTE: From: Greek, Spanish, French, Italian, Cyprus and Maltese delegations: To: Working Party on Frontiers/Mixed Committee:
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing rules for the surveillance of the external sea borders in the context of operational cooperation coordinated by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Members States of the European Union - Position on Articles 9 and 10 (pdf) and see also:
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing rules for the surveillance of the external sea borders in the context of operational cooperation coordinated by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Members States of the European Union (pdf) With Member States' positions
Articles, in the Commission proposal, covering
interception at sea (Articles 6-8, pages 11-18) are set out in great detail in the second document above. Articles 9 (pages 19-22) set out the details for
"Search and rescue". The Note from the six Mediterranean countries seeks to replace the text of Article 9 as set out with a general four-line statement (first document above). It would appear that these six Member States are concerned with the burden the search and rescue clauses might place on them as no meaningful solidarity plan is in place for other Member States to share responsibility.
See also: SEARCH & RESCUE:
Italy and Malta say 'No' to Frontex rules in sea rescue operations (euobserver, link)