Brussels, 12/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has decided that the European Union's earth satellite observation programme shall be called Copernicus and it shall have a budget of €3.79 billion until the end of the decade. MEPs endorsed the agreement reached on the subject in inter-institutional talks by adopting a report by Vittorio Prodi (S&D, Italy) on Wednesday 12 March by 640 votes in favour to 32 against and 7 abstentions. Prodi commented that the manifold applications of Copernicus, like maritime surveillance and the management of natural catastrophes, would be beneficial to governments, regions, cities and ordinary people alike. The Sentinel satellites will be launched at the end of this month or the beginning of next, explained European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship Antonio Tajani (see EUROPE 11007). Information collected by satellites and ground, sea and air captors for Copernicus will be provided free of charge to anyone interested. The domains currently covered are the earth, the maritime environment, the atmosphere, climate change, security and disaster management. (MD)