The European Space Agency (ESA) welcomed the Council decision to secure the Europe’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme (GMES) EU funding through 2020. Within the new multiannual financial framework, €3786 million was allocated for GMES. ESA highlights that this amount covers GMES Services, In-Situ Component (a network of sensors on the ground, at sea and in the air) and the Space Component, securing funding for the programme’s long-term operational phase.

The Council decision on the next multiannual financial framework (MFF), which is a seven-year plan for the EU’s budget, was taken on 8 February. Within the new framework, the Europe’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme will receive €3786 million from EU funding.

The European Space Agency (ESA) welcomed the Council decision and underlined that the funds will allow GMES operations to continue to provide ever-improving global environmental data to services stimulating economic growth and job creation in Europe. Although ESA stressed that the agreement is an important milestone for GMES, also recognised that its future is not yet completely assured. The plan has yet to be approved by the European Parliament before it can enter into force.

These newly allocated funds add to the approximately €3.4 billion invested in the programme by ESA and the EU since its inception more than a decade ago. Of these, about €2.4 billion funds the GMES Space Component activities, which include developing the Sentinel satellites and instruments.