The Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) is an initiative which fosters the sharing of information between maritime authorities, across sectors and borders, with the aim of enabling enhanced maritime awareness and effective action at sea. A Grant Agreement signed on 16 April 2019 between EMSA and the European Commission’s DG MARE entrusts EMSA with the management of this transitional phase paving the way for the operational implementation of CISE. The European Commission tasked EMSA to set up and coordinate this preparatory action. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) will support the work in view of its long-term involvement in CISE. The commitment of the member states as information providers is essential to the effectiveness of CISE, as the information exchange takes place on a voluntary basis.