13
2. ACTIVITIES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN EARTH
OBSERVATION
3.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper describes the rationale for a continued involvement by the
European Commission in the field of Earth Observation over the next five
years, responding to new challenges and opportunities, as part of a wider
European effort involving ESA, EUMETSAT, national space bodies,
industry and other European actors.
It aims to secure the user benefits of EO, particularly those linked to
priority socio-economic issues. The approach taken is to foster marketdriven solutions as far as possible, leading eventually to a self-sustaining and
competitive European EO sector.
The RTD Framework Programs will be used to mobilize much of the
necessary effort, drawing on both the direct and indirect actions. A coherent
action on Earth Observation in the Fifth Framework Program, including
activities under the key action on Global change, climate and biodiversity,
will play a key role during the period covered by this plan.
Both the current and future Framework Programs will be used as vehicles
to stimulate operational EO applications in other EU policy areas. Other
Community competencies, for example, those linked to the functioning of
the single market, will be invoked if needed.
REFERENCES
Proposal for a European Policy for Earth Observation form Space, ESA/PB-EO (95) 7 rev. 2,
presented to the ESA Ministerial Council in Toulouse on 20 October 1995.
The European Union and Space: Fostering applications, markets and industrial
competitiveness; Communication form the Commission to the Council and the European
Parliament, 4 December 1996 (COM (96) 617 final).
4.
2. ACTIVITIES OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN EARTH
OBSERVATION
3.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper describes the rationale for a continued involvement by the
European Commission in the field of Earth Observation over the next five
years, responding to new challenges and opportunities, as part of a wider
European effort involving ESA, EUMETSAT, national space bodies,
industry and other European actors.
It aims to secure the user benefits of EO, particularly those linked to
priority socio-economic issues. The approach taken is to foster marketdriven solutions as far as possible, leading eventually to a self-sustaining and
competitive European EO sector.
The RTD Framework Programs will be used to mobilize much of the
necessary effort, drawing on both the direct and indirect actions. A coherent
action on Earth Observation in the Fifth Framework Program, including
activities under the key action on Global change, climate and biodiversity,
will play a key role during the period covered by this plan.
Both the current and future Framework Programs will be used as vehicles
to stimulate operational EO applications in other EU policy areas. Other
Community competencies, for example, those linked to the functioning of
the single market, will be invoked if needed.
REFERENCES
Proposal for a European Policy for Earth Observation form Space, ESA/PB-EO (95) 7 rev. 2,
presented to the ESA Ministerial Council in Toulouse on 20 October 1995.
The European Union and Space: Fostering applications, markets and industrial
competitiveness; Communication form the Commission to the Council and the European
Parliament, 4 December 1996 (COM (96) 617 final).
4.