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EARSC and AAAF are pleased to announce a one-day workshop dedicated to the
subject of “Industry‘s role in GMES”.
The workshop is to be held in Paris on March 21st 2006.

The role of Industry in GMES and GEOSS
The GMES and GEOSS initiatives are complex ones where actors are numerous and where innovative approaches have to be taken in a wide variety of domains such as political, organisational, technical, economic and financial to name just a few. Since the 1998 Baveno Declaration, Industry has shown a strong interest in these initiatives and has supported the various steps of the elaboration of a European consensus. However it must be recognised that the real present and future role of industry at large in GMES and GEOSS has been little discussed.
Considering the fact that in a large part the success of GMES and GEOSS hinges on a proper and efficient role of industry, it is high time for industry to get together to evaluate the present situation, to make an overall assessment of GMES/GEOSS opportunities in terms of socio-economic and industrial terms as well as to study an action plan which would allow industry to play a role in insuring the success of these initiatives.
To achieve those objectives EARSC is organising on March 21st in Paris a workshop where all industrial actors will be able to exchange views and make recommendation to clarify and optimise the role of Industry. Those recommendations will be fed into the GMES GRAZ Symposium organised in April 2006 under the Austrian presidency of the European Union.
This workshop will take the form of four round tables as defined in the attached program. It is open to all European or non-European participants. It must be emphasised that attendance will be limited because of logistics accommodations and that quick registration is required to ensure participation.
Make sure that this event is included in your agenda!!! DEAD LINE: March 7th
Attendance is free for EARSC members while registration fee is 100 for non-members. This includes participation in the sessions, coffee breaks and access to the proceedings.
PRACTICALS
The workshop will be held in Paris on March 21st 2006 at EUROSITES, 28 Av. George V.
Preliminary programme
(Presentation & Round tables)
09h15: Welcome
09h30: Introduction to GMES status
09h45-10h15: Session 1
The Status of European EO Industry: Strong or weak?
Coffee Break
11h15-12h30: Session 2
The GMES Socio-Economic Benefits: Where are they?
Lunch Break
13h30-15h30: Session 3
European earth Observation Industry Evolution to foster GMES Socio-Economic Benefits: Can and should industry evolve?
Coffee Break
16h00-17h00: Session 4
Elaboration of Recommendations and Input for the Budapest workshop and GRAZ Symposium
Registration info to submit at EARSC
FEE:
-Participation free for EARSC & AAAF members ( )
-100 Euro fee for non EARSC or AAAF members ( )
- First name
- Surname
- Company/Organization
- Funtion
- Full Address
- Country
- Tel
- Fax
- Email
- Website

Following a Membership Campaign, the EARSC Board is glad to welcome 16 new Companies and Organizations in our Association.

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 in programmes such as GMES and
GEOSS.
Up to now, EARSC has grown 50% in 2005,
which 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 members at:
INSA S.A. (SP)
INTA (SP) (OBSERVER)
MDA Geospatial services (CND) (OBSERVER)
PCI Geomatics (CND) (OBSERVER)
SARMap (CH)
SERTIT-ULP (FR) (OBSERVER)
Tragsatec (SP)
VisioTerra (FR) – www.visioterra.com
EARSC membership is composed by full members (1) and observer members (2)
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(Credits EARSC)

The European Space Agency (ESA) has recently concluded an in-depth survey of the European and Canadian EO service industry. Some 75 small Value-Adding Companies (VACs) participated in the survey to produce the most detailed picture to date on the state and health of this industry sector. One of the results that emerge is that the industry is facing a number of challenges concerning its structure/scale, its service offerings and its industrial presence (see eomd.esa.int).

The eoVox initiave
Following on directly from the industry survey, ESA is initiating activities to further explore issues that affect the complete EO service industry sector; eoVox is one of these activities.
Within eoVox, the types of issues to be looked at are : What total service capabilities does this industry sector offer and how can these be best communicated? What are the common problems that companies face in developing business and how can public-sector development be best-structured to help the industry grow?
eoVox aims to gather views and comments from all companies within the industry and investigate how the common industry positions can be represented via an industrial trade body.
eoVox is therefore an opportunity for all companies to voice their viewpoint on the future of the industry. The results will be looked at carefully by ESA in planning for the period 2008-13 to make sure that the needs of the industry are supported at the right scale, with the right mechanisms and of adequate duration.
How to contribute to eoVox
The eoVox team will be undertaking a wide consultation exercise during 2006. As part of this process the team will interview key European and Canadian value adding companies in the first quarter. In addition, the eoVox consortium welcomes direct enquiries and contributions from the Earth Observation community in general and the Canadian and European Value adding Companies in particular.
All views will be listened to and recorded in an open and transparent process. All results from this work will be published on the Internet for feedback and comment.
The eoVox consortium & contacts
The eoVox consortium comprises LogicaCMG and EARSC, the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies along with consultants from ESYS and Controlware and value adding companies Metria and C-Core.
Contact points regarding the initial consultation are as follows:
Northern Europe: Birgitte Holt Andersen
Southern Europe: Mónica Miguel-Lago
Canada: Des Power
Contact point for general enquiries:
European Space Agency: EOMD
eoVox Project Manager: Chetan Pradhan

Letter on behalf of EARSC member companies concerning the EOMD
programme in the framework of the anticipated forthcoming decisions in
the ESA Ministerial Councils.

Dear Dr. V. Liebig – Director of ESA´s Earth Observation Programme,
I am writing on behalf of our member
companies concerning the EOMD programme in the framework of the
anticipated forthcoming decisions in the ESA Ministerial Councils.
As you know very well the members of our
association as well as our Association as such, have had and are having
very close collaborations with your Directorate’s teams. Among the many
programs supporting this collaboration, the “Earth Observation Market
Development” program is highlighted by our members.
Indeed the EOMD program, which was
presented to our members at several of our Annual General Meetings and
in which many of our members are involved, is seen by us both as a very
needed and a very innovative one. Very needed indeed, since the role of
space data in the growth of the remote sensing market and the
development of new services needs to be strongly fostered. Very
innovative also since the mechanisms proposed in EOMD to foster this
evolution have never been tried in Europe before. The EOMD program,
quite ambitious in its objectives in a very difficult environment, and
with limited budgets (of about 3 to 4 Meuros per year so far), has
already achieved some successes but can still be considered only in its
early phases. In the next few years the development of geo-spatial
information services will become increasingly important to Europe’s
growth and the parallel development of GMES and EOMD (as well as DUP)
is an opportunity for Europe.
In particular the development of new
applications of space borne remote sensing data and the development of
operational and commercial products are at the core of the success of
the GMES initiative and of the recognition of its place in GEOSS.
The dynamics and hopes triggered by this
program must not be abandoned. Thus, in the framework of the
preparation of the coming Ministerial conference as well as considering
the risk of a drop in EOMD budgets in 2006, EARSC members are strongly
urging the ESA Executive and the member states to continue and increase
their support to the EOMD program beyond 2005.
Please be assured of our continuous interest and of our full availability to help strengthen the EOMD program .
Looking forward to opportunities to meet with you and your team, please accept our respectful regards.
Yours sincerely,
EARSC Chairman
**
EARSC, the European
Association of Remote Sensing Companies is an Association of over 55
European value added industries. Its members include both large
companies including major satellite providers and small (SME) companies
providing specialised EO information services. Generally, EARSC has the
responsibility to represent the Earth Observation services industry in
Europe.

Letter on behalf of EARSC member companies concerning the GMES
programme and in particular the anticipated forthcoming decisions in
the EU and ESA Ministerial Councils.

Dear Heads of National Space Delegations,
I am writing concerning the GMES programme
and in particular the anticipated forthcoming decisions in the EU and
ESA Ministerial Councils.
The European Association of Remote Sensing
Companies, EARSC, is an Association of over 50 European value added
industries. Founded in 1990, it has as members both large companies
including major satellite providers and small (SME) companies providing
specialised EO information services. Generally, EARSC has the
responsibility to represent the Earth Observation services industry in
Europe.
We consider that over the next few years
the development of geo-spatial information services will become
increasingly important to Europe’s growth. A key driver is the GMES
initiative that is intended to ensure that Europe has effective access
to high quality information products. In our opinion, this is a
critical moment for GMES with decisions expected in the EU
Competitiveness Council (November) concerning the structure and
governance of a programme and in the ESA Ministerial Conference
(December) for the development of new satellites.
On behalf of our members, EARSC would
like to express its strong support for the GMES programme. We are very
supportive of the GMES philosophy and of the Sentinels concept.
Satellite-derived EO data forms a major and essential input to the
services that our companies offer, and we welcome this proposal that
will expand the data available and hence our potential services.
We are also convinced that the
preparatory work carried out by ESA in the GMES Service Elements (GSE)
programme provides an excellent base on which to proceed. The European
Commission is just in the process of establishing a mechanism to ensure
there are clear links between the services required by the EU and the
new satellite capacities that will be provided by the Sentinels. Whilst
we regret that this has not been instigated earlier, we do believe it
to be of crucial importance now and would urge that you give your full
support to these proposals. This would also provide a positive signal
from the space community of their support to the EC actions.
EARSC is convinced that national
governments should maintain their commitment to GMES, thereby ensuring
that public policies at all European levels can benefit from space
applications. We would like to ask the ESA delegations and the ESA
executive to ensure that the objectives of the GMES program are
preserved from its early phases and that the next Ministerial
conference endorses a program development in line with the quick
development of sustainable operational products.
Please be assured of our continuous
interest and of our full availability to help build this unique program
which has the capability to bring to Europe both high level capacity
and leadership.
Looking forward to a successful Ministerial conference, please accept our respectful regards
Yours sincerely,
EARSC Chairman

Following a Membership Campaign, the EARSC Board is glad to welcome
Critical Software S.A. and ReSAC (Observer status) in our Association.

On EARSC behalf, we are certain that new Members will contribute
actively to the aims of EARSC actively involved in coordinating and
strengthening the Earth-observation chain and promoting the European
Earth observation industry in programmes such as Global Monitoring for
Environment and Security (GMES).
On EARSC behalf, Welcome!
More information about new members at EARSC website,
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 € 400 per annum. For our members, the
annual membership dues are a cost-effective way to stay informed,
promote their organization, political and institutional representation,
networking opportunities with industry players and help support the
future of Earth observation. Together could transform activities into
meaningful action on behalf of our sector.
EARSC membership is composed by full members (1) and
observer members (2)
(1) 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.
(2) 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.

Following an internal strategy, the European Association of Remote
Sensing Companies (EARSC) has started an intensive partnership’s
campaign.

EARSC is a non-profit-making organisation that is devoted to
promote Earth Observation Industry and to foster geoinformation
services worldwide.

In these times of intensified European
integration and co-operation, the role of EARSC is becoming
increasingly vital, that is for, the Association maintains close links
with key European Institutions, European Space Agency and National
Space Agencies, providing a key unified voice on wider European issues.

Since EARSC was founding in 1989, The
Association has rapidly grown to become a valuable resource for the
information, news, consulting services that our burgeoning industry
requires. Being inside the process of detailing the future European
Space Policy, Earth observation is at a turning point worldwide where
EO companies are key actors in the global commercial market. Industry
together could transform activities into meaningful action on behalf of
our sector.

Nowadays, EARSC is embarking on
a new strategy of Earth observation awareness and raising to industry
the importance of working together for a better future. It is
definitively becoming a real point of contact for Earth Observation
Industry in Europe!.

EARSC has the challenge to be a representative association at European
level and a lobbying collective voice towards governments and data
providers for a coherent and dynamic development of Earth Observation.

Some steps have been made. Firstly, the
communications with members through meetings, website and newsletter
were developed where highlighted information about market development
sector is being disseminated. Secondly, the active participation and
involvement with institutional bodies where EARSC participates at
different working groups and as representative institution possible
partner of ESA and lobby group for European Commission. Last but not
least, EARSC is confident that our implementation plans for the next
years qualify us for being a referent body of knowledge at European EO
Industry.

EARSC hopes to strengthen a productive
dialogue with EO European Companies and Organizations, welcoming the
opportunity to engage more fully with us.

More information at JoinToUS Membership elections during BoD Meetings!

(Credits EARSC)

The EARSC Annual Meeting and General Assembly took place on June 30 in
Brussels. About 20 Members took part in the meeting and contributed to
the familiar and interesting event.

The EARSC Annual Meeting and General Assembly took place on June 30 in
Brussels. About 20 Members took part in the meeting and contributed to
the familiar and interesting event. Two invited lectures were presented
Dr. Stefano Bruzzi, Head of the ESA Coordination Office and co-leader
of the GMES Programme Office and Dr. Steve Coulson, Head of the
ESA-EOMD Program. Both have informed us about ESA´s strategy in Earth
Observation, in particular in the GMES and EOEP activities and the new
opportunities to do business with ESA at the upcoming EOMD- Market
Development programme.

Following a Membership Campaign, the EARSC Board is glad to welcome the
new Members in our Association.

Following a Membership Campaign, the EARSC Board is glad to
welcome the new Members in our Association. Members accept the Statutes
of the association and its political orientation as expressed through
the statutes adopted in 1989 in Brussels.

Within the EARSC scope and membership strategy, the Observer profile
has been approved during the last Board of Director Meeting in Brussels
(30/06/05). EARSC membership will be composed by full members (1) and
observer members (2)

(1) 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.

(2) 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.

On EARSC behalf, we are certain that all
the new Members will contribute actively to the aims of EARSC devoted
to the promotion of the Earth Observation Sector. Welcome!

  1. Aerodata International Surveys (Belgium)
  2. Aurensis (Spain)
  3. Control-Ware (Belgium)
  4. DNV-Der Norske Veritas (Norway) – Observer
  5. GMV S.A. (Spain)
  6. Kongsberg Spacetec AS (Norway)
  7. LATUV-Funge (Spain) – Observer
  8. Noveltis (France)
  9. RSI Inc (Switzerland)
  10. Spacedat s.r.l.(Italy)
  11. Spacemetric (Sweden)
  12. Tele-Rilevamento Europa TRE (Italy)
  13. TNO Space (The Netherlands) – Observer
  14. Vega Group PLC (United Kigdom)
  15. Vito nv (Belgium) – Observer
  16. VTT-IT (Finland) – Observer

(Credits EARSC)

Setting space funding priorities is a problem on both sides of the
Atlantic. While the US struggles with whether to keep operating two of
the most extraordinary space missions ever undertaken – Voyager and
HUBBLE – Europe is reaching a turning point in 2005 with a key European
Space Agency (ESA) Ministerial conference and the definition of the
European Union‘s 2007-2013 financial package.

“Europe Needs a framework for Earth Obseervation” was published in Space News dated May, 16th 2005.

Setting space funding priorities is a problem on both sides of the
Atlantic. While the US struggles with whether to keep operating two of
the most extraordinary space missions ever undertaken – Voyager and
HUBBLE – Europe is reaching a turning point in 2005 with a key European
Space Agency (ESA) Ministerial conference and the definition of the
European Union‘s 2007-2013 financial package.

It‘s easy to identify what Europe‘s priorities have been in the past.
In financial volume, priority number one has been access to space, i.e.
launchers and space infrastructure centered on the international space
station, with a total in excess of 40% of ESA’s 2005 budget. Meanwhile,
the satellite sector has been weakened, with many programs cancelled or
delayed in Earth observation, science and telecommunications . all
assets in direct service to the citizen.

In that sense, the ends . biosphere
knowledge and protection, space exploration, better services for the
citizen and science – have taken a backseat to the means.

Since 1960 the world economic activity has
been multiplied by six, while the world population has doubled. This
rapid and unique development has been accompanied by a tremendous toll
on natural resources and ecosystems. In less than three decades the
number of natural disasters has been multiplied by 2.5 and the number
of victims by 3. Disasters killed 500 000 people and caused $750
billion of damage over the 1990-1999 decade. Earth as a planet is
threatened, humans are not properly protected and human knowledge of
Earth systems is far from complete. We are lacking observation taken on
a sustained, systematic, and operational basis. In some areas, data
collection is decreasing. Although the development of suitable
technologies and the awareness of the socioeconomic benefits of Earth
Observation are progressing, in Europe the Earth observation industry
is facing severe threats.

While ESA plans only a small number of
Earth observation missions, industry faces technical risk and complex
political and market forces in a sector in which governments are major
players. Satellite capabilities are declining and strategic European
technologies are at risk of disappearing. Earth stations receive mostly
non-European satellite data, value-added companies face a paucity of
European-source data and increased vulnerability in data access.
Operational continuity is not assured. Users and government
decision-makers face a lack of strategic and critical data, limiting
their autonomy.
New directions are needed in space funding. Earth observation is
increasingly recognized as a public good and the use of remote sensing
data, telecommunications and navigation services can deliver enormous
and rapidly increasing public good benefits to the global economy.

A new strategy for Earth Monitoring must
consider science, operational and commercial elements. It should be
based on the following pillars:

1. Science

The main emphasis must be on the Earth and
the solar system. Earth Science, which is an optional program at ESA,
should be a mandatory program allowing industry to invest rationally
instead of counting on lobbying or luck –

- as was recently the case with the selections in the ESA Earth Observation Preparatory Program.

2. Operations

A coherent overall strategy for GMES must
be designed. Priority should be given to deploying satellites for
visible/near-infrared ocean and coastal-zone monitoring (where there is
no successor for oceanographic ENVISAT payload), land observation of
the LANDSAT and Spot type, and risk management, all featuring dual use
for civil and security applications. Failure to establish a
comprehensive observation baseline and commit to continuity of
observation systems will hamper the achievement of environmental
treaties targets. Indeed the fulfilling of international conventions as
well as sustainable development policies is relying on such
capabilities. Finally one could create a defendable business/economic
case only if data continuity is assured.

The main segment of commercial space-borne Earth observation today
is constituted by high resolution imaging, whether in the optical or
radar domains. The number of existing and planned high-resolution
systems in North America, Europe and Asia for the next ten years is
substantial and thus availability of data seems secure. The situation
is more complex in the market for data and services. The Earth
observation data market is small by itself. The real market will result
from the synergy of Earth observation, positioning, and
telecommunications systems.

3. Support for the satellite sector

Access
to space is now assured in Europe. It remains a worthy goal, but it has
cost tremendous amounts of money and eclipsed satellite programs that
could be more useful in terms of applications, innovation and
employment.

There is in Europe no industrial policy
for satellite-derived applications. National optional participation in
programs such as GMES, or Global Monitoring for Environment and
Security, and the ARTES telecommunications research program have been
gutted in favor of launch vehicle programs. The situation must be
re-balanced.

4. International Collaboration

The need for a large variety and quantity
of complementary environmental data to monitor the planet strongly
argues for international coordination. The joint ESA-NASA initiative in
the science-focused Earth Explorer/ESSP framework is an excellent move
in this direction. The GEOSS-GMES links should be the next step
forward. It is also encouraging that at industry level links between
U.S. and European companies are being established.

5. Framework

While multi-source funding is essential, a
single coordinating body must be identified. In Europe, EUMETSAT, which
has efficiently consolidated the Meteosat program and has begun early
work on a third operational Generation, is a good model.

6. Financing and timing

The cost of environmental damage should be
kept in mind when thinking about the cost of satellite surveillance
systems. The cost of a recent oil-tanker sinking alone is about 10
billion dollars. A 10-year European budget of this order for Earth
Science and GMES would be reasonably small compared to the benefits
they bring.

Clearly separated budgets must be
established for the science/research element and for the operational.
As presented earlier, the budgets specifically allocated to the
development of the Earth observation space segment must also be
accompanied by budgets for the information and telecommunication
infrastructures in order for a proper access to data and a suitable
deployment of services to happen.

What is needed is a GMES pilot phase
integrating these elements, without waiting to identify all the future
end users willing to pay to deploy and operate the infrastructure.
There should be no illusions: This will remain a public investment for
many years to come.

It is time to reassess our space priorities to put the industry more completely at the service of the citizen.

Paul Kamoun

EARSC Chairman, European Association of Remote Sensing Companies

Eberhard Parlow

EARSeL Chairman, European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories