19/12/2016 (Agence Europe) – Three years after the launch of the European Earth observation programme, Copernicus (see EUROPE 11053), the Commission opened an interim evaluation on Thursday 15 December. The purpose is to assess implementation of the programme in order to improve development in the coming years. The evaluation will include a performance assessment and will last throughout 2017. It will focus on the programme’s efficiency, effectiveness, coherence and EU added value. Submissions are sought from the European institutions, national and regional authorities, the scientific community, the private sector, NGOs and international organisations. European space policy entered a new era with the announcement in October of the space strategy for Europe (see EUROPE 11655). One of the issues highlighted by the European Commission is the use of the data generated by space programmes (see EUROPE 11551). (PH)