Maritime CISE (Common Information Sharing Environment) is a process of collaboration to enhance relevant information sharing between maritime surveillance authorities and their information systems in the European Union.
Maritime CISE is to increase the efficiency, quality, responsiveness and coordination of surveillance operations in the European maritime domain and to promote innovation, for the prosperity and security of the EU and its citizens
Maritime CISE will ensure that information collected by one maritime authority and considered necessary for the operational activities of other authorities can be shared instead of being collected and produced several times.
Maritime CISE will equip all parties with new resources, shared empowerment and enhanced awareness.
Maritime surveillance covers the seven following functions:
- Defence
- Customs
- Border control
- Fisheries control
- Safety, security and pollution prevention from shipping
- Environmental protection
- General law enforcement
In each Member-State, these functions are carried out by different national authorities according to national administrative organisation.
Led by Member States, and assisted by the European Commission as part of DG MARE’s mission for Integrated Maritime Policy, Maritime CISE action will enhance Member States’ awareness and ability to respond better to any and all situations as they happen, anywhere within EU jurisdictional waters or in the EU maritime domain.
The EU maritime domain is commonly referred to as the waters under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of EU member states, which is in most cases a 200 nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, as defined in the Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS). The maritime domain also includes activities carried out in other international areas where the EU has a maritime interest, such as important sea lines of communication (otherwise known as maritime transport routes) like the Gulf of Aden off Africa, or the Strait of Malacca between Indonesia and Malaysia, in accordance with our obligations under international and EU law. This includes fighting piracy and terrorism, search and rescue operations, controlling illegal immigration or fisheries control, for example.
Maritime CISE actively encourages all Member States, authorities and stakeholders to share information whenever it's relevant, as neither military or civilian capabilities alone can provide sufficient effective, efficient and timely information as regards the maritime environment.
CISE protocols will improve overall safety and security throughout Europe, and foster decentralised, information-centric decision making, through the provision of multi-use and multi-purpose information sets.
CISE addresses the information needs which are not already covered, and so is developed in full consistency with existing policies and systems in the field of maritime information such as:
- Maritime transport information systems: SafeSeaNet and National Single Windows, which enable the collection and sharing of mandatory reports and information by merchant ships
- Eurosur, an EU border control information-exchange system designed to improve management of the EU external borders