Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Assessing the systems of controls of the European Fisheries Control Agency’s inspecting powers

The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) was established in 2005 to promote the highest common standards for control, inspection and surveillance under the Common Fisheries Policy. To this aim, EFCA carries out, among other things, various inspection-related tasks involving different actors both at EU and national level. These tasks range from coordination of and assistance in national inspections, to training of inspectors, to direct inspections and inspection operations involving third countries. This chapter focuses on EFCA’s inspection-related tasks in order to assess the systems of controls therein. Through the analysis of personal, institutional, financial, judicial and public accountability it is shown that, while financial accountability is a crucial means for the EU’s oversight activity on EFCA, judicial control is almost entirely lacking, except, in part, for direct inspections. On this basis, it is concluded that specifically the participation of EFCA staff members in joint inspection teams should be the subject matter of further research.