European Earth monitoring programme (GMES) and its initial operations 2011–2013

The Council took note of a presidency progress report (see document 9862/10) on a draft regulation on the European Earth observation programme (GMES) and its initial operations (2011-2013).

The objective is to establish GMES as an operational programme and to provide additional funds for its initial operations enabling a gradual build-up of capabilities up to the end of the current EU financial framework in 2013, as well as putting into place the necessary structures for the governance of the programme.

The report includes the three main outstanding issues contained in the proposal:

• funding for 2011 to 2013,
• governance,
• treatment of data and information policy.

A first reading agreement with the European Parliament is expected to be confirmed after the vote at the EP plenary.

 assembly in mid-June, thus allowing to invest an additional EUR 107 million in the initial operational phase of GMES, as proposed by the Commission in May 2009.

GMES is an EU-led initiative to develop Europe's own operational Earth observation capacity in order to collect information about the planet’s physical, chemical and biological systems or, more generally, to monitor of the natural environment. It draws on both space-based (i.e. satellite) and non-space-based facilities, including airborne, seaborne and ground-based ("in situ") installations. Data collected via satellites and in situ infrastructure are processed to provide information services allowing better management of the environment and enhancing security for citizens.