European Group on Earth Observations

There are enormous EO capabilities in Europe, but the landscape is complex and fragmented and there is lack of coordination among the European EO activities. It is necessary to ensure a coherent European contribution to the GEO initiatives and priorities. There is a large potential of users of EO derived services in Europe which is not yet fully reached and served.

• Implementing a user-driven research and innovation agenda to maximise uptake and engagement of EO applications that are addressing the GEO priorities, and require further demonstration, incubation, up-scaling, or replication;
• Coordination of GEO-relevant activities undertaken in Europe to ensure a coherent European contribution to the GEO initiatives and priorities;
• Supporting cooperation among individual European and national programmes and user communities (e.g. Copernicus, ESA, NMHIs, European observing networks and Research infrastructures, etc.) and enabling partnerships between public, academic and private actors
• Fostering international cooperation, also through better cooperation with other Regional GEOs, in particular with view to sharing data, applications and good practices globally

Based on Copernicus, a rich landscape of European EO and data infrastructures and a thriving EO research community, a large range of EO based trusted and sustained products and services are provided, which serve the needs of users in Europe and globally. EuroGEO is fostering collaboration among all actors in the EO value chain (academia, industry, governmental organisations, users) and drives the development of applications that make the most of enabling technological paradigms (cloud computing, AI/ML techniques, datacubes, etc.). Users are involved throughout the development lifecycle, based on the co-design approaches created by the Horizon 2020 e-shape project. EuroGEO plays a key role in promoting and disseminating the FAIR and GEO principles, in relation to data sharing and data management, for all types of data including in-situ. In addition, EuroGEO contributes to reinforcing the data ecosystem in Europe, effectively linking cutting-edge research developments to operational progress of data platforms and associated tools and methodologies. Here too, the lessons learned, and best practices developed by e-shape in the course of conducting 37 pilots is a significant resource from which to build on. EuroGEO fosters international cooperation and helps stimulate user uptake and market development both in and outside Europe as demonstrated i.e. in the e-shape pilots for GEOGLAM and other projects that have contributed to GEO initiatives.

• EU open science policy for free and open circulation of research data and knowledge
• The EU global approach fostering international cooperation and the Lisbon Manifesto on Earth Observation for Africa and Europe
• The European Green Deal aiming at a transition to a climate-neutral, pollution-free Europe with a healthy food systems and where biodiversity is recovering.
• Further policies, in particular: EU Adaptation strategy, open data directive, Data governance act.

EuroGEO governance and activities will be strongly facilitated by the new Horizon Europe project “Support to EuroGEO initiative coordination/establishing a EuroGEO secretariat”.

The GEO High-Level Working Group is bringing together all European GEO members and Participating Organisations and additionally supports European Coordination towards GEO.

Cooperation is strengthened with the various bodies of the European Union, such as the Directorates-General for Defence Industry and Space, for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, for International Partnerships and the Joint Research Centre. The European Environment Agency is involved by enhancing capacity on Data Sharing and Management Principles in Europe.

There are also co-operations with WMO and the European Space Agency on Climate Observations and Earth System Science.

The European Union R&I Framework Programme Horizon Europe is open to participants from all countries in the world and is currently supporting a broad range of activities, including for example observing networks in the Arctic or citizen science projects. Horizon Europe projects help increasing capacity in some European countries and also beyond as some projects have participants from e.g. Africa, which benefit directly with respect to their local capacity from the know-how developed during the project’s lifetimes.

The projects carry out R&I activities along the entire EO value chain, including the improvement of observing systems, data management and integration and the development of user-tailored products and services

Commercial companies are involved in the projects and have brought some services successfully to the market. EuroGEO cooperates with the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC, a GEO Participating Organisation), the voice of the EO industry in Europe.

More resources are coming from investment for new services (Copernicus Thematic Hubs, Copernicus data space ecosystem, Knowledge Centre on Earth Observation), initiatives like Destination Earth, data infrastructures (e.g. ACTRIS, ICOS, the Data Spaces) and new space missions (Copernicus and ESA).

EuroGEO implements dedicated outreach activities such as the EuroGEO annual workshop and synergies with the EU Space Programme.