Mid-term evaluation of the Copernicus programme (2014-2020)

This report highlights the key findings of the mid-term evaluation of the European Earth monitoring programme, Copernicus, three years into its implementation. The report is based on an external study carried out on behalf of the Commission to respond to the obligation imposed by Regulation (EU) No 377/2014 of 3 April 2014 establishing the Copernicus Programme and repealing Regulation (EU) No 911/2010 ("the Copernicus Regulation"). The evaluation provides valuable insight for the second half of the programme implementation and for defining the approach to future Copernicus initiatives.

The Commission has launched this exercise not only to assess the benefits and achievements of the Copernicus programme, but also to verify how adequate its original objectives still are, and how the programme may better respond to new challenges and ambitions, considering that in the past few years the overall political, societal, scientific and economic environment has dramatically changed. The Space Strategy for Europe approved in 2016, of which Copernicus is one of the pillars, has already outlined the main priorities for the future of EU space activities and will inspire future developments.

The report is accompanied by a staff working document providing more details and references to the study on which it is based. The study itself included a series of consultations with stakeholders, the results of which are reflected in the final analysis of the various components of the programme.

EUR-Lex: SWD(2017)347: Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the report http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2017:347:FIN

EPRS: Briefing: Copernicus – The EU's Earth observation and monitoring programme http://www.europeansources.info/record/copernicus-the-eus-earth-observation-and-monitoring-programme/

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