EDA Report on Maritime Surveillance in Support of CSDP

The “Wise Pen Team” Final Report to the EDA Steering Board on Maritime Surveillance in Support of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) was released on 26 April.

The EDA Press Release states: “the Ministerial Steering Board received the report of the Wise Pen Team of five retired admirals on Maritime Surveillance in support of CSDP. The central message of the report is the need for linking national and international military and civilian assets in order to create a federated maritime surveillance network. The report contains concrete recommendations and will provide an important contribution to the activities on Integration of Maritime Surveillance, led by the European Commission.  ‘The Wise Pen Team’s report has already had a major impact. It has brought different actors together, civilian and military, which will be crucial for developing effective Integrated Maritime Surveillance’, Catherine Ashton stated. She added: ‘My dual-hat capacity as High Representative and Vice-President of the Commission has exactly been created to realise the synergies we need in the EU between the civilian and military sides in areas like Maritime Surveillance.’”

Executive  Summary: “[***] Increasing maritime insecurity, not least terrorism, piracy and illegal immigration, has highlighted the need to improve European security by integrating maritime policy making, sharing information more effectively and transparently and coordinating a collective response to security challenges. Many useful initiatives are already underway, but there is the need to make graduated improvements in co-ordination and integration which are affordable and not technologically difficult. [***]”

I have not attempted to read this 50+ page document yet, but it may of interest to some.

Here is the Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Trends in the Economy and Maritime Security Context
• The Interim Conclusions of the Intermediate Report
• Changes Since the Issue of the Intermediate Report
• Maritime Surveillance. Its Aims and Purposes
• Naviesʼ Contribution to Maritime Surveillance
• Tools and Networks
• Alternative Organisational Approaches
• Data, Information, Knowledge
• Preferable Approaches
• Conclusions and Recommendations

Click here for the Report.

Click here for EDA Press Release.