Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Copernicus Programme and repealing Regulation (EU) No 911/2010

Copernicus is the new name of the European Earth Observation Programme, GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security). Copernicus or rather its predecessor was established as an EU programme by the GMES Regulation (EU) No 911/2010. It covers all the activities for ensuring an uninterrupted provision of accurate and reliable data and information on environmental issues and security matters to users in charge of policy making, implementation and monitoring, in the EU and its Member States. Copernicus aims at providing Europe with a continuous, independent and reliable access to observation data and information. The EU investment aims at filling the observation gaps, providing access to existing assets and developing operational services.

Copernicus is structured in six Services: Marine, Atmosphere, Land and Climate change monitoring as well as support to Emergency and Security. Copernicus uses data from satellites and in-situ sensors such as buoys, balloons or air sensors to provide timely and reliable added-value information and forecasting to support for example, agriculture and fisheries, land use and urban planning, the fight against forest fires, disaster response, maritime transport or air pollution monitoring.

Copernicus also contributes to economic stability and growth by boosting commercial applications (the so-called downstream services) in many different sectors through a full and open access to Copernicus observation data and information products. It is one of the programmes to be delivered under the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and it was included in the industrial policy initiative of Europe 2020, given its benefits to a wide range of Union policies.

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)312: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:312:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2013)190: Impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2013:190:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2013)191: Executive summary of the impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2013:191:FIN

ESO: Background information: Copernicus: The EU Earth Observation Programme - good for jobs and the environment http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-copernicus-the-eu-earth-observation-programme-good-for-jobs-and-the-environment/

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