The 19 september 2017 the Portuguese Navy Fleet Commander took over the command of the European Maritime Forces. After one year a load of activities and cooperations were succesfully completed and many more are on the way for the next year.

The force was formed in 1995 to fulfill missions defined in the Petersberg Declaration, such as sea control, humanitarian missions, peacekeeping operations, crisis response operations, and peace enforcement.

At the operational level of the chain of command, there is the Commander of the European Maritime Force (CEMF) or COMEUROMARFOR, who is designated every two years among the National Naval Authorities (NNAs) entities namely:
- Commandant de la Force d’Action Navale (ALFAN)
- Comandante in Capo della Squadra Navale (CINCNAV)
- Comandante Naval (COMNAV)
- Almirante de la Flota (ALFLOT)
The CEMF relies both on his own existing National Staff and the EMF Permanent Cell (EMFPC) for the accomplishment of the assigned duties.

Since 19 september 2017 EUROMARFOR HQ is set in Lisbon under the Command of the Portuguese Navy Fleet Commander (COMNAV) the Vice Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo.