(20)The Agency should continue to host the vessel traffic monitoring and information system established under Directive 2002/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Councilnote as well as other systems underpinning the establishment of maritime situational awareness. In that regard, the Agency should continue to play a vital role in the management of the maritime surveillance component of Copernicus Security Service within the governance and financial framework of the Copernicus programme established by Regulation (EU) 2021/696 of the European Parliament and of the Councilnote (‘Copernicus programme’) and should continue making use of available state-of-the-art technology, such as remotely piloted aircraft systems which provide to Member States and other Union bodies a useful tool for surveillance and monitoring. In addition to those services, the Agency has demonstrated its strategic role in providing maritime situational awareness during various crises, such as the COVID-19 crisis and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. As a result, the Agency should operate a centre, open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, to assist the Commission and the Member States with such emergency situations.
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