EARSC EVENT
The European Association of Remote Sensing Companies, EARSC has organized an information lunch with Members of European Parliament in Brussels last 04th November 2009. The event was a first step to enhance the dialogue with some Members of the European Parliament and service provider’s representatives. Besides introducing the Association and its mission, EARSC launched a debate on the current space GMES regulation and has provided the view of the European Service Provider Industry on the importance of the European Earth Observation Program GMES and its initial operations 2011–2013 (GIO). Policy-technical advisors from ENVI, ITRE, BUDG and TRANS Committees, Industry Cabinet, GMES Bureau and the environmental agency as user of GMES, also played a key role in formulating opinion and illustrating that further dialogue should be established.
The regulation aims at providing legal and financial mechanisms for the GMES program and EC funding of GMES initial operations so that operational services can be stepped up at a larger scale in the beginning of the next decade (2011 – 2013). It is focused on emergency response services, land monitoring services as well as auxiliary activities including e.g. measures supporting the take-up of services by users; data access and GMES space component. The financial volume of the proposed regulation is 150 Mio. EUR, 43 Mio. EUR will be FP7-budget, (co-operation program: space priority) while 107 Mio. EUR will be financed by appropriations within the Community Budget.
EARSC recommendations were based on the following
• To the European Parliament
– Decide positively on the GIO Regulation of the EC
– Establish a midterm budget framework enabling industry a reliable planning and investment
• To the European Commission
– Establish a efficacious i.e. simple governance structure corresponding to the needs and reality of the GMES application fields
– Extension of integration of Downstream services via existing structures – e.g. EARSC / NEREUS
– Avoid “unfair” conditions/competition through Public service providers and
– Price dumping through e.g. production of strategic geo-information outside Europe -> key words quality/price competition and reliability
EARSC looks forward to seeing the above points recognised and mediating measures implemented so that the ambitions of GMES can be realised. Without these, the programme risks remaining focused on research, and the substantial wealth-creating opportunities for Europe will not be realised.
EARSC is currently preparing a harmonized statement on the most crucial points of the regulation on “GMES Initial Operations 2011 – 2013 (Content)” and GMES Data and Information’s Policy” which will be delivered in time before the next discussion on the GIO regulation.
EARSC will follow up the established contact and will present service providers industry views on the achievements, challenges and future needs of the European Programme on Utilization of Space-based Information – GMES!
EARSC presentation has been included at the following link
http://www.earsc.eu/news/earsc-information-day-on-the-european-earth-observation-programme-gmes-and-its-initial-operations-2011-2013-04nov2009
NEREUS EVENT
NEREUS has also established links with MEPs during a evening event in Brussels last 17th November. The information link is provided next:
http://www.earsc.eu/news/nereus-evening-with-members-of-european-parliament-on-17-november-2009-in-the-european-parliament-in-brussels-belgium