The SAFEMED V Project’s 3rd Steering Committee meeting took place at EMSA premises on 1 October 2024 with the participation of EMSA’s Executive Director, Maja Markovčić Kostelac.

The meeting gathered delegates from the SAFEMED beneficiary countries, with observers from European Commission Directorates General NEAR, MOVE, and MARE, as well as from the Union for the Mediterranean, the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea, and the Secretariat of the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Med MoU).

Since the inception of the SAFEMED V on 1 April 2022, the project has reflected the strong commitment of the European Union to fostering safer and cleaner seas in the Mediterranean Sea. The SAFEMED V action plan implemented by EMSA is built upon the EU policy priorities, the Agenda for the Mediterranean, and the identified needs of the beneficiary countries.

During the meeting, the European Commission services provided an overview of recent developments and future priorities. Representatives of the beneficiary countries provided feedback on completed activities, highlighting the importance of the technical assistance provided to them by EMSA in their continuous efforts to build or enhance national capacity.

Delegates also agreed the action plan for the year 2025, focusing on key areas such as pollution prevention, maritime safety, and the transposition of international maritime conventions into national law.

Learning services to be provided by EMSA were also identified, allowing the Agency to address emerging needs and fine-tune its support, following a bottom-up approach.