European Economic and Social Committee

Draft programme of the Conference

Safe Seas: can an Integrated Maritime Surveillance be achieved by the EU?

Brussels, 24March 2015

Venue: EESC –Van Maerlant building (Room VM3) | Rue Van Maerlant 2| 1040 Brussels

9.00–09.30 / Registration and welcome coffee
9.30– 11.00 / Opening panel
Moderated byStéphane BUFFETAUT, President of the EESC Sectionfor Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society
  • Ana GOMES, Member of the European Parliament
  • Lowri EVANS, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries atDG Mare, European Commission
  • Fotis KARAMITSOS, Director for Logistics, Maritime and Land Transport and Passenger Rights at DG Move, European Commission (EC)
Civil society views: presentation of the EESC's opinions
  • Dr Anna BREDIMA, EESC Member, rapporteur of the opinion on maritime security
  • Christos POLYZOGOPOULOS, EESC Member, rapporteur of the opinion on maritime surveillance

11.00 – 13.00 / Safe Seas: turning shared maritime interests into global security responsibilities
Discussion aboutthe implementation of theEU Maritime Security Strategy Action Plan and about cybersecurity threats in the seas.Moderated by Dr Anna BREDIMA, EESC Member
  • MarcusHOUBEN, Head of the Support Team, EU 2014 Chairmanship ContactGroup on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, European External Action Service (EEAS)
  • Lieselot MARINUS, Director of International Relations, Security, Ports and Logistics of the European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA)
  • Philippe ALFONSO, Political Secretary for Maritime Transport at the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) (tbc)
  • Alessandra FALCINELLI, Legal Assistant for Trust and Security at DG Connect, EC
  • RobertMISSEN, Head of Unit "Land and Maritime Security" at DG Move, EC

13.00 – 14.30 / Lunch
14.30 – 16:20 / Maritime surveillance: political, cultural and technical limitations to sharing relevant information across sectors and borders
Discussion about the enhancement of maritime surveillance operations by way of improved coordination and information sharing. Moderated bySeppo KALLIO, EESC Member
  • Dr Joerg HILLMANN, Head of Unit "Land and maritime Domains", Capability, Armaments & Technology Directorate at the European Defense Agency (EDA)
  • Lukasz ZIOLKOWSKI, Maritime Support Services Duty Officer at the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) with JacobTERLING, Policy Officer for Maritime Safety at DG Move, EC
  • Rear admiral Henrique de GOUVEIA E MELO, Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Portuguese Naval Staff
  • Thomas BARBAS, Sector Head, Unit "Maritime Affairs" at the Joint Research Center (JRC)
  • Thomas Strasser, Policy Officer for Integrated Maritime Surveillance at DG Mare, EC

16.20-16.30 / Wrap-up and conclusions
  • José Maria ZUFIAUR NARVAIZA, President of the EESC Section for External Relations

English, French, Spanish and Greek interpretation will be available