The plenary conference of the Heads of Coast Guard Functions is organized annually by the Member State responsible for the Chairmanship.

The ECGFF annual plenary conference of the Heads of Coast Guard Functions of the EU and associated Schengen countries may lead to decisions to conduct further work, projects, and research, or produce documents within the scope of the ECGFF objectives.

It may be done either by the secretariat or through special tailored working groups, directed by a national lead partner supported by the secretariat.

Decisions on further work of the secretariat will be made by the Chairmanship and decisions on creating working groups will be made by the annual plenary conference, following the proposal of a country willing to be a national lead partner through the secretariat.

The secretariat's and working groups' efforts will be presented during the following plenary conference, or as appropriate.

The last Plenary Conference took place on 1st July 2021 through Video Conference, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.