Europe has a coastline of approximately 70,000 kilometres. Twenty-three out of the 27 EU member states have a coastline and two-thirds of EU borders are coasts. Managing the risks associated with maritime activity – European waters permanently have more than 20,000 boats sailing in them (European Commission statistics) – and monitoring external coastline borders has become increasingly important over the years. Sectoral initiatives have been set up, examples of which include the SafeSeaNet system to combat maritime pollution. This has linked up different databases in EU member states, making it possible to track ships carrying cargoes of dangerous substances in EU waters or the border management operations set up as part of Frontex, such as 'Poseidon' (sea patrols in the Aegean Sea and the Greek-Albanese and Greek-Turkish borders) and 'Nautilus' (the control of immigration to Malta and Lampedusa) or 'Hera' (the Canary Islands).

The initial reports (see box) show an increase in the total number of this type of combined operation, particularly with regard to sea borders. The number of member states participating in Frontex operational activities is also increasing, while the number of isolated operations launched by member states is decreasing. While Frontex may see this "as an indicator for increased awareness and acceptance of Frontex-coordinated activities in the member states" (2007 annual report), it is worth noting that the operational and financial means made available to the agency by member states is still largely inadequate, so much so that it has even been forced to put a hold on its activities, as happened in 2007 when Nautilus patrols in the Mediterranean had to be suspended.

"Let's be clear, none of the bigger member states is making enough effort any more," said Brice Hortefeux, the French minister for immigration, recently ⁽¹⁾.

A comparison of the means actually contributed this summer with the inventory of means that are supposed to be available to the agency soon reveals that "there is still a long way to go".

And, of course, one should not forget the legal problems caused by these operations ⁽²⁾ and the difficulty of ensuring that the immigrants' home country was also party to the operation (which required bilateral cooperation agreements such as those signed by Spain with Mauritania and Senegal). All of these factors illustrate the restrictions limiting such operations today.

THE COAST GUARD QUESTION

But the question is: is there a need to go any further? Further than cooperation and the coordination of services? The response for the time being is 'no', as borne out by the debate on whether to create a European coast guard team, an idea which at one time seemed to be very much a part of the European agenda but which today seems to have been abandoned. Over the past few years it has made the odd appearance, mostly promoted by the European Parliament and often during debates on maritime safety. It was in fact the European Parliament that succeeded in including in a directive on pollution caused by ships ⁽³⁾ that the question be the subject of a feasibility study carried out by the European Commission. The aim at the time was clearly limited to the prevention of maritime pollution, notably to monitor oil spills.

The Commission's green paper on a maritime policy, published in June 2006, was meant to broaden the concept quite considerably. Perhaps that was the problem. In addition to maritime safety, it also linked the idea of a European coast guard to concepts such as the fight against counterfeiting, human trafficking, illegal immigration and even terrorism. After a consultation procedure which resulted in a blue paper on maritime policy, in October 2007, the Commission was finally forced to accept that "there is little support for a European coast guard," but there is "interest in cooperation between member states' assets to achieve similar objectives without changing competences". So cooperation it is. The blue paper makes no mention of a European coast guard. It speaks rather of encouraging cooperation between the coastguards from the different member states and of measures to improve the interoperability of the surveillance systems. The political debate has turned into a technological challenge.

Frontex statistics

Number of joint maritime border operations

2006: 1

2007: 6

Number of member states participating in joint maritime border operations

2006: 15

2007: 22

Number of non-EU citizens intercepted in maritime border operations

2006: 21,769

2007: 27,441

Source: Frontex – 2007 general report

⁽¹⁾ His full speech of 15 September is available (in French) at www.immigration.gouv.fr/article.php?id_article=666.
⁽²⁾ What should be done with the people 'assembled' by the Frontex patrols? Who should be responsible for them? Nautilus has its launch delayed because the participating countries could not agree on this question (it was finally agreed that people intercepted in the operation's Libyan zone would be sent back to Libya or if this was not possible to the nearest port.
⁽³⁾ Directive 2005/35/EC – Article 11