The European Court of Auditors believes that the potential of the EU’s Galileo and Copernicus space programmes is not being fully exploited and suggests in its recommendations, published on Wednesday 21 April, that a strategy be presented by 2023 to support the exploitation of the services offered by the two European flagship programmes.
For the EU auditors, the 2016 space strategy (see EUROPE 11655/9) did not set clear targets for the two programmes, nor did it indicate a clear timetable for achieving them. In general, the Court notes that there is no comprehensive strategy with measurable and realistic time-bound objectives.
The Court finds that the European Commission could make more use of Copernicus data in its work.
Furthermore, it claims that the Commission has not clearly defined the division of roles between the different European entities to better exploit Earth observation data. The European Commission, as well as the European GNSS Agency (GSA), has only fragmentary information on national strategies to better exploit the services offered by the two programmes, it continued.
The Court of Auditors therefore considers it necessary for the Commission to present within two years a comprehensive strategy to support both Galileo and Copernicus services, including all relevant entities.
In this respect, it says that the division of roles between the various European entities must be clarified by setting “measurable and realistic” objectives. It also proposes that work be done with Member States to identify areas where spatial data can improve the overall efficiency of public administrations and reduce the fragmentation of the European market.
The European Court of Auditors calls on the Commission to develop, by 2024, a framework to better assess the economic and societal benefits of European space programmes. The framework would be developed in cooperation with the OECD, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Member States, it added. To this end, it proposes to harmonise the data collected and the performance indicators.
Also for 2024, the Court invites the Commission to develop a framework for a long-term “integrated approach” to accessing Copernicus data and products, and to introduce the Copernicus programme into the EU’s cloud-based infrastructure.
Finally, in the view of the European auditors, the Commission should carry out a thorough analysis of how European legislation and standards can support the services provided by the Copernicus programme. In the same spirit, the institution should identify regulatory and administrative barriers to the deployment of European space services. Above all, this must be done within a timeframe, insists the European Court of Auditors.
To consult the report: https://bit.ly/3dAu2Y6 (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)