EMSA has been monitoring the implementation of EU law in the Member States since its very beginning. Visits to Member States offer a valuable link between legal objectives and operational application. In this way, the European Commission can assess the extent to which EU law is being properly implemented in a given field. The visits provide a feedback chain on the effectiveness of the legislation and identify gaps where legal objectives are not being met.

Through the EMSA Academy, EMSA provides learning services outside of formal education to all beneficiary organisations and their members. These include the EU Member States and EEA countries, European neighbouring countries, EU candidate and potential candidate countries, and members of the Paris MoU and Med MoU.
EMSA works to build up the national capacity of European neighbourhood countries, thereby helping to reinforce safety, security, and environmental standards in a much broader geographical context than simply at EU level. Through the projects for the Mediterranean Sea (SAFEMED V) and the Black and Caspian Sea (BCSEA II), EMSA offers training courses and workshops, as well as access to tools and services.