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EOpages is a brokerage platform to help potential customers find suppliers whilst service providers will be able to promote their products.

what is EOPages?

EOpages is a brokerage platform to help potential customers find suppliers whilst service providers will be able to promote their products.

The Earth Observation value added Industry is quickly evolving. It has a pool of resources and services which must be organized, catalogued and presented in a unified tool. eopages.eu is being designed for this purpose. It will be an active business-to-business website promoting the European and Canadian geo-information service industry creating a meeting point between industry and market.

EOpages specialised online directory is aimed as comunication platform between potential user and suppliers encouraging business exchanges. EOpages is expected to be another breakthrough to improve even further the representation of European Earth Observation Industry in a variety of contexts working in partnership with industry and stakeholders.

what is our aim?

The aim of EOpages project is to enable potential customers to explore and interact with users in online content on the capabilities of EO industry in general and EO VA companies in particular by identifying relevant information via an in-depth crawling of geoinformation companies and organising, classifying and displaying the results.

EOpages will ensure that information is easily accessible as well as offering a “meeting point” to build and grow connections between industry and the market. It will include many innovative features to assist customers and to identify solutions for their markets.

EOpages is expected to be another breakthrough to improve even further the representation of European Earth Observation Industry in a variety of contexts working in partnership with industry and stakeholders.

who we are?

The European Space Agency (ESA) has sponsored EOpages under eovox project, in collaboration with the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies, EARSC.

EARSC —on a non-profit basis— coordinates and promotes activities of their members in the area of services based on the delivery of geo-information products on customer demand. EARSC´s mission is to foster development of European geo-information service industry. Our VISION is a sustainable market for geo-information services, using remote sensing data, which is openly accessible to all members. To achieve this we will focus on: -Customer awareness and acceptance of Earth observation and remote sensing -Improving Market access for our members.

What is EOPages.pdf

The Oil and Gas Earth Observation interest group is preparing a Webportal to share information, questions, issues, successful applications and promote the use of Remote Sensing in the Oil and Gas industry.

Any offshore as well as onshore application from environmental monitoring to infrastructure mapping to exploration or iceberg tracking will be considered. This project is supported by ESA and currently implemented by EARSC as an industry forum. The portal will be open for access to the oil and gas industry and EO geo-information service providers.

The portal will be launched at the upcoming OGEO and GRSG workshop at ESA in December in Frascati.

Please email any ideas or contributions to EARSC Secretariat

EARSC is a non-profit-making organisation created in 1989. The mission of EARSC is to foster the development of European Geo-Information Service Industry. Our main objective is to stimulate a sustainable market for geo-information services using EO data, which is openly accessible to all members.

We all know quite well that it took many more years for the market itself to mature pushing many to forget some of their illusions on the way. However realizing that maturity and market expansion could only happen little by little in this complex domain EARSC has been sticking to its goal of helping develop the European remote sensing industry, reaching today 80 members, and being a recognized association worldwide. All the major European industrial actors of remote sensing are EARSC members and are involved in numerous ways to foster the development of the domain together with European institutions. Lately the EARSC strategy has evolved one step further to account for the geospatial information revolution of the 21st century.

EARSC is representing the European providers of geo-information services in its broadest sense creating a network between industry, decision makers and users. It is a crucial stage of maturing of the sector as nowadays Earth observation is used more frequently by society and adds positive value to our daily lives.

At the same time, an active participation from all of our members is the best guarantee that EARSC will play an important role on the European Earth observation and geo-information arena. For our members, the annual membership dues are a cost-effective way to stay informed, promote their company, political and institutional representation, networking opportunities with industry players and help to support the future of geo-information Industry: “industry stakeholders together could transform activities into meaningful action on behalf of our sector”.

Internally EARSC informs and involves its members though the website, newsletter, directorate and the organization of more numerous events. This will allow us to be more present on the European and International scene and to contribute more efficiently to the implementation of European programmes.

To get more information on EARSC membership, please contact us at

EARSC membership

EARSC membership represents the entire spectrum of the Earth Observation industry including all sector chain: providers, stakeholders and users. Membership of EARSC is currently 500 Euros per annum. For our members, the annual membership dues are a cost-effective way to stay informed, promote their company, political and institutional representation, networking opportunities with industry players and help support the future of Earth Observation. Industry together could transform activities into meaningful action on behalf of our sector

Full Members
Any commercial European company or partnership offering and undertaking consulting and contracting services or supplying equipment in the field of remote sensing which is based in a European Country which contributes to the European Space Agency or which is a member of the European Community shall be eligible for membership.

Observer Members
Companies from countries associated to European programs but not eligible for full membership. Any active representative organization, institution or association party in the field of Earth observation and not engaged in commercial or profit-making activities such as Public/Governmental Bodies, International Organisation, International Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Private Non Profit Organisation/Foundation, Network/Association/Aggregation of Intermediaries(profit or non profit), Business Association, Universities, other?) with interest in Earth Observation.

(Source EARSC)

The workshop on EO Quality Scheme was held on 29th June in Brussels.

The workshop informed the attendees on key issues relating to a quality scheme for the industry and other European/International Initiatives. There was a lot of support for the industry to act and several ideas emerged. EARSC will establish a working group addressing Quality aspects that should meet for the first time in the autumn. Any member wishing to participate to this workshop should let the secretariat know to be sure to receive details once it is set up.

Background:

ESA is conducting a study on the “quality scheme for EO industry”. The study consists of two elements (1) a management system element based on ISO9001 and (2) product certification based on a standard product specification with independent testing performed by a suitably qualified organisation.

Companies (with experience in the application of ISO9001 to Remote Sensing products and services) are welcome to provide inputs to the “quality study for EO industry”. Three documents covering this scheme have been prepared (Scheme Description, DRD for Product Specification (product certification based on a standard product specification with independent testing performed by a suitably qualified organisation) and Guide for the application of ISO9001).

Objectives:

Review of scheme documents distributed to EARSC Members Coordination with relevant EC activities Defining a way forward

Draft Agenda:
Co-chairs (C. Hoffmann – EARSC BoD, P. Hollidge-Hollidge Consulting.pdf)

15h00-15h30: Networking coffee
15h30: Introduction (Co-Chairs)
15h45: Brief Feedback on scheme documents: C. Hoffmann (Geoville), E. Willen (Metria), P. Karnowka-RapidEye.pdf (Rapideye), K. Fellah-Sertit.pdf (Sertit), J. Born-SBI.pdf (SBI), S. Israel-Astrium Services.pdf (Astrium Geoinformation Services)
16h30: Discussion (All)
17h00: Presentation of the EU project, GEO label (ESA)
17h15: Way forward, definition of actions (All – Co-chairs)
17h45: End of Workshop

Final list participants EARSC EO quality scheme WG 29June2011.pdf
Quality Scheme Workshop Chair Report Final.pdf

Please find here for your information the paper sent by EARSC to the EC in the frame of consultation process undertaken by the European Commission in view of the continuation of the Research Framework Programme.

EARSC, the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies, is the trade association representing the EO geo-information services industry sector in Europe. It is a highly innovative sector comprising primarily of SME’s characterised by a highly educated workforce. New companies are regularly being created by entrepreneurs looking to commercialise ideas – often developed during research in universities or other research organisations under EC Framework Programmes. These ideas may lead to new EO geo-information services or products but may equally lead to technology in the field of geo-information more broadly; geographic information systems (GIS) or related IT technologies. As such, the European research programme is a particularly important source of support for R&D and innovation in the sector with wide benefits.

EARSC companies are present on the world market. Many seek to develop opportunities in export markets as befits a global technology such as Earth Observation. In our recent position paper “GMES; Exploiting Operational Services” (1) we focused on several factors that we consider will enable the industry to create economic value from GMES by taking products into commercial markets in Europe and through exports. Support to R&D and innovation is particularly important to maintain a flow of new products and services to supply these competitive markets where local entrants are present.

The creation of the space element of the Framework Programme has been particularly welcomed. Support from FP6 and FP7 has been especially critical to stimulate the research into new geo-information products for GMES. We should also acknowledge the strong role that ESA play in supporting market development activities that are quite complementary to those of the EU. This innovative and dynamic sector would struggle to develop without both of these programmes.

In considering the next Framework programme, EARSC wishes to highlight 4 issues that should be addressed:

  • Considering GMES, the initiative was started in 1998 and the first research projects started in 2002. We are only now, 10 years later starting to see some procurement of services developed under GMES and it is generally acknowledged that this will not expand greatly before 2015. 10 to 15 years is a long time for an industry to invest without a direct return and the business case for that investment is especially hard to make. For an SME this is particularly difficult. Where industry has to invest alongside grants from the EC then a visible return is mandatory. Currently, industry participation is set at 50% (2) of the budget and as a result of this and the long time to see operational budgets being created is resulting in industry slowly withdrawing from the FP. If industry is to participate at the same level as universities and research organisations then there needs to be equal treatment. A higher level of funding, beyond 50% is essential if industry is to be able to benefit from European research funds.
  • The sector is comprised largely of companies employing between 3 and 200 people ie SME’s by European definition. They are innovative and seek to bring new ideas to the market. Generally, they need results to attract finance and support from the FP is very important to take ideas forward. Today, SME’s find it hard to find a place in the FP and it is important that new measures are taken to ease their participation. The next FP should contain new measures to encourage SME participation which could include fast-track projects, obligatory SME partners in projects led by larger organisations or other schemes.
  • Whilst GMES is a very important programme for Europe and for the EO geo-information industry, it represents only a part of the potential market. Companies are equally looking to commercial markets such as the insurance sector, agriculture, transportation, energy, oil and gas amongst many. Some of the products developed for GMES will be applicable to these markets but research is also needed into more specific topics. The next FP should ensure that there is the possibility to support research into products and services for markets other than the public sector to be directly served by GMES.
  • Time to market is critical for an SME that can be threatened by larger organisations. Once developed of course the ideas, products and services become attractive for larger players which make them key partners either earlier or later in the research project. The present mechanisms for bidding and launching projects can take 12 months or even more from the launch of a call through to contract signature. Faster processes are necessary to support the industry.

A more flexible, SME friendly FP can strongly help the EO geo-information sector to create jobs and economic benefit for Europe.

(1) EARSC position paper on Exploiting GMES Operational services (www.earsc.eu)
(2) Industry participation is set at 50% except for SME’s that have the possibility to claim up to 75%

Following a Membership Campaign, the EARSC Board is glad to welcome two New Companies in our Association: Eurosense s.r.o. Slovakia, Eurosense Romania SRL, Geoville Environmental Services Luxemburg, and GRAS in Denmark

On EARSC behalf, we are certain that new Members will contribute actively to the aims of EARSC enthusiastically involved in coordinating and strengthening the Earth-observation chain and promoting the European Earth observation industry.

The membership increase encourage us in the Board of Directors to continue to do our best to fulfill the tasks that you as members could expect of the association. On EARSC behalf, Welcome!

More information about new member at:

Eurosense Romania SRL

EUROSENSE ROMANIA SRL was established in 2004 in Bucharest, as the local branch of the EUROSENSE group of companies. The company participated in the execution of some of the largest aerophotography projects in Romania in recent years, using always state of the art equipment and technologies and delivering quality products to its clients in the Romanian public administration or to private companies.

Presently EUROSENSE ROMANIA SRL offers a wide range of services and applications in geodata acquisition, mapping, remote sensing and GIS, taking also advantage of the combined resources of the EUROSENSE group.

Our clients in Romania for photogrammetry and remote sensing are, among others: Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Environment, local administration.

Our headquarters are located in Bucharest, this giving us the possibility to have close contacts with all important clients in governmental and private sectors.

More info

Eurosense s.r.o., Slovakia

Eurosense s.r.o. is a 100% % subsidiary of the Eurosense Group. Was established in 1994 and is leading and largest photogrammetric production and services’ subject in Slovakia even compared to state institutes for over 15 years. Its prime focus is to address the local market , but in close cooperation with the other Eurosense subsidiaries also target the regional aspects that are cross-border .It has self-standing technical and production capabilities , but works in close synergy with the mother company.

More info

Geoville Environmental Services, Luxemburg

GeoVille Environmental Services is an internationally operating company in the field of Earth Observation for environmental purposes. Our services are merging sound EO and GI analysis techniques with what the information means for our environment.

We see our position along the value adding chain mainly at the start of the chain, i.e. user requirement analysis, and at the end of the chain, i.e. in quality assessments.

More info

GRAS, Denmark

Geographic Resource Analysis & Science A/S

GRAS provides innovative mapping products and solutions based on satellite images and aerial photographs. We specialise in environmental assessment, water resources and marine monitoring.

  • Environment: Impact assessment, mapping of land cover, forest cover and invasive species
  • Marine Monitoring: Daily monitoring of sediment spill, sea ice, algae and temperature
  • Climate Change: Mapping and monitoring impacts of climate change on local livelihoods and industries
  • Coastal Mapping: Mapping the trend of coastline movement 40 years back in time

GRAS is using information technologies for marine environmental monitoring and for natural resource management. Expertise and experiences cover a wide range of applications within the marine environment, water resources, agriculture and forestry. GRAS is associated with the University of Copenhagen and consequently always up-to-date with the latest technologies and methods.

These include the use of remote sensing data and methods, using geographical information systems (GIS) for assessment of marine parameters, mapping, analysis and compiling comprehensive spatial databases.

Capacity building is an essential part of our activities and we assist the implementation of projects through training. In this way the methods can be developed and costumised to match the actual needs of the client.

GRAS was created in October 2000 jointly by the University of Copenhagen and DHI. The company staff is complemented with the expertise and experience of key personnel from the Department of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, within marine environmental assessment and monitoring, natural resource management and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GRAS is owned by DHI but remains a not-for-profit company; generated revenue is used for further research and development.

More info

EARSC affairs are run by an elected Board of Directors, its policy-making body, and an Executive Secretariat who acts on behalf of EARSC, in the administration of the smooth running of the Association and handles the communication with Stakeholders and Members.

We would like to express our congratulations to our two new Directors Stephane Israel and Nöel parmentier and to express our deepest appreciation to André Jadot who served for several years officially as Treasurer and now is leaving the association to embark in new endeavours.

We would like indeed to take this opportunity to stress the role of our Board of Directors. It is essential indeed that our members know about the dedication and competence of all those who are defending our industry interests through so many internal discussions, BoD , or external discussions within other statrekholers aas ESA, EC…etc

The actual Board is:

Position Name Company
Chairman Han Wensink BMT-ARGOSS
Vice-Chairman Nikolaus Faller Astrium Satellites
Vice-Chairman Chetan Pradhan Logica
Treasurer Michael Prechtel RapidEye
Director Christian Hoffmann Geoville Group
Director Antonio Rodrigues de Sousa Edisoft
Director Erik Willén Metria
Director Eric Pailharey Thales Alenia Space France
Director Stephane Isräel Astrium Services
Director Nöel Parmentier Eurosense Belfotop
Secretary General Geoff Sawyer EARSC
Executive Secretary Monica Miguel-Lago EARSC

The EARSC Board of Directors meets quarterly to progress EARSC business and to review the service it is providing to EARSC Members

The AGM day organised by EARSC held on June 30 in Brussels was very successful with a morning session looking at GMES Space and Policy following the AGM itself. In the afternoon, we looked at the market perspectives providing an analysis of the current situation of operational EO value added services and the associated geo-information business.

Close to 50 participants attended this year’s AGM. One of the seminar´s main strengths, warmly acknowledged by attendees, proved to be the open discussions in the morning on topics as GMES long-term funding commitment, regulatory framework, governance structures and challenges… or during the afternoon the dialogue mechanisms within other associations and discussing the future opportunities for the Service Industry within other markets.

Member´s participation in this event was of enormous value and EARSC would like to express its warmest appreciation for that.

PROGRAMME
10h20 – 10h45 Networking coffee
  SEMINAR on ”GMES and Space Policy”
10h45 – 11h00 Opening Seminar by Geoff SAWYER, EARSC Secretary General
11h00 – 11h15 Speech by Karl VON WOGAU, Secretary General Kangaroo Group, Honorary Member European Parliament
11h15 – 11h30 GMES and opportunities for EO businesses by Josef ASCHBACHER, ESA GMES Space Office
11h30 – 11h45 Climate Change service to support a greener growth more compliant with the target 20/20/20 by Nathalie CRESTE-MANSERVISI, Climate Strategy, EC
11h45 – 12h00 GMES Initial Operations: overview and pespectives by Josiane MASSON, GMES Bureau, EC
12h00 – 12h15 EU Space Industrial Policy by Gaëlle Michelier, Space PolicyUnit, EC
12h15 – 12h45 Discussion: Q & A
12h45 – 13h30 Buffet Lunch
  SEMINAR on “The EO services industry for tomorrow”
13h30 – 14h30 Round Table on EO evolution (Discussion 1, Chaired by Stephane Israel, EARSC Director)
13h30 – 13h45 Horizon Scanning by Chetan PRADHAN, EARSC Director
13h45 – 14h00 EO data market, implications for services by Adam KEITH, Euroconsult
14h00 – 14h15 Commercialization of EO research by J. Styles, Assimila
14h15 – 14h30 Discussion
14h30 – 15h00 Networking coffee
15h00 – 16h15 Round Table on market synergies (Discussion 2, Chaired by Chetan Pradhan, EARSC Director)
15h00 – 15h15 ESA Value Adding Element: Future Opportunities by Steve COULSON, ESA-EOMD
15h15 – 15h30 Challenges for the Geobusiness market by GMES, Galileo and INSPIRE by M. Fornefeld – Micus Consulting
15h30 – 15h45 The GNSS industry is ready to contribute to GMES by Gard UELAND, Galileo Services
15h45 – 16h15 Synthesis & Outcome

EARSC is the European voice for the European geoinformation service industry.

The European Association of Remote Sensing Companies is a non-profit-making organisation created in 1989. It is committed to increase the use of Earth Observation and to foster geo-information services worldwide, increasing the profile of its Members.

EARSC´s mission is to foster development of European geo-information service industry.

Our vision is a sustainable market for geo-information services, using remote sensing data, which is openly accessible to all members. To achieve this we will focus on:
a Customer awareness and acceptance of Earth observation and remote sensing
b Improving Market access for our members

EARSC booklet_2011web.pdf

Following a Membership Campaign, the EARSC Board is glad to welcome two New Companies in our Association: CLS and ScanEX

On EARSC behalf, we are certain that new Members will contribute actively to the aims of EARSC enthusiastically involved in coordinating and strengthening the Earth-observation chain and promoting the European Earth observation industry.

The membership increase encourage us in the Board of Directors to continue to do our best to fulfill the tasks that you as members could expect of the association. On EARSC behalf, Welcome!

More information about new member at:

CLS

Observing our planet from space has revolutionised understanding and protection of our environment. At the core of this system: Argos beacons, altimeters for ocean observation, space radars which monitor maritime regions. The CNES subsidiary operates and/or processes data from more than 80 instruments on board nearly 40 satellites.

Through its renowned expertise and experience acquired more than 20 years of operating satellite systems, CLS is a major contributor to global efforts in the field of environmental monitoring, sustainable management of marine resources and maritime safety. Our solutions offer direct operational support to government, institutions and industries working in these areas.

CLS’s forward-looking vision is turned toward guaranteeing quality of service to customers at all times. Our teams strive constantly to provide the best service and obtain the most accurate environmental data. Because the more we understand about Earth’s mechanisms, the better we can predict its evolution and safeguard its natural resources.

CLS

ScanEX

RDC ScanEx is ready to share the technologies to find a most effective solution.

Do you require regular monitoring of the territories or separate objects? Do you want to have continually updated independent information about the region of interest handy? Create your own monitoring center based on our station.

Do you keep an eye on the fires, floods and ice situation? Use our service offering real-time Internet images.

Do you need several images from space or a sequence of multi-temporal images? Use our interactive catalog to search for the data in archives.

Your have made up your mind to process the space images and to receive thematic products yourself? Use our software applications.

Are you looking for partners, who can help you out to resolve your tasks? Use the services of our specialists to develop thematic projects.

ScanEX