On Wednesday, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the Transport and Tourism Committee expressed their support for reviewing the European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA) mandate. This initiative aims to enhance support to EU member states in the areas of maritime safety, security, and situational awareness.
The provisional agreement, refined through negotiations between the Council and the Parliament, and led by EP rapporteur Sérgio Humberto (EPP, PT), was confirmed by the Council in October 2025 October 2025. The revised mandate will enable EMSA to better support EU countries in improving maritime situational awareness, particularly in response to emerging geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the emergence of shadow fleets, suspicious ship-to-ship transfers, and the disabling of shipborne automatic identification systems.
Under the new mandate, EMSA will prioritise enhancing maritime safety and security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships, and preventing pollution caused by maritime activities.
The Agency will also continue its efforts to assist EU governments in decarbonising the shipping sector, providing comprehensive progress reports every three years.
Moreover, EMSA will undertake additional responsibilities related to digitalisation and the reduction of administrative burdens within the maritime sector. It was also secured that the Agency will provide training to EU member states, focusing on areas such as conducting safety inspections and digitalising maritime registries.
The Transport and Tourism Committee supported the draft recommendation to approve the Council’s position, which reflects the provisional agreement reached in June, with a considerable vote of 41 in favour and four against. This recommendation is now scheduled to be presented to the full House, which is set to convene in November.
