In the framework of the EU funded SAFEMED IV project, EMSA organised the 3rd SAFEMED IV Steering Committee on 3-4 September 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal.

The meeting was attended by various participants from the project’s Beneficiary Countries, namely from Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. In addition, representatives from Turkey, the Secretariat of the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding on PSC (MED MoU), REMPEC, and the UfM participated in the Meeting as observers. DG MOVE and DG ENV also delivered some key presentations on their respective 2019/2020 goals and initiatives.

EMSA presented the activities conducted from October 2018 to September 2019 with a specific focus on the actions performed in each of the technical components: Flag State, Port State, VTMIS, Protection of marine environment, Human element in maritime safety and Maritime security, Security, MCGFF, Bilateral Activities and Communication. New activities which include Exploratory Missions in all beneficiary countries, the development of the new IT platform for PSC Officers in the Med MoU Region “THETIS-Med”, studies on Port Reception Facilities, participation at the Master in Maritime Affairs at the World Maritime Affairs, amongst others, were presented.

All beneficiary countries also presented a set of priorities and expectations, both at regional and bilateral level, for the timeframe 2020-2021. Many of these activities were included in the revised Action Plan.

The 3rd Steering Committee was successfully organised. Such meeting is paramount to ensure a high level of cooperation and coordination between the project’s beneficiary countries, EMSA and all other entities involved in the Mediterranean basin. At the end of the Steering Committee, the Action Plan for 2020-2021 was endorsed.