International Cooperation in the area of Data Exchange

Space infrastructure and data from international partner countries can be beneficial for the Copernicus Programme in a variety of areas, such as co-operation on data processing, integration of third-party data (including in-situ data) into the Copernicus data system, data assimilation into models and products of the Copernicus services.

Cooperation with third countries in the area of data exchange is usually foreseen through administrative Cooperation Arrangements, which are non-binding partnership instruments designed to ensure efficiency and complementarities of data exchange. They are based on the principle of reciprocity to ensure benefits to the Copernicus Programme.

The priority for Copernicus international relations is to conclude Cooperation Arrangements which can provide added-value to the EU and the partner country in a reciprocal manner (e.g. provision of satellite data for calibration/validation support, provision of in-situ data).

To date, such arrangements have been concluded with the United States, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, India, Ukraine, Serbia and the African union. Other countries have shown interest in data exchange with the Copernicus Programme, so that additional arrangements may be concluded in the future.

 

United States (Oct. 2015)    

The United States is a key partner for Europe in the field of Earth Observation. A Cooperation Arrangement was signed with the US authorities in October 2015. U.S. Agencies have several Earth Observation satellites in orbit, which are already of benefit to European users and to the Copernicus Programme. ESA and EUMETSAT have long standing relationships with their U.S. counterparts on satellites and data sharing for a variety of purposes (e.g. the operational exchange of meteorological data).

International cooperation in the framework of Copernicus should build upon these partnerships to ensure efficiency and complementarities.

 

 

 

Australia (Nov. 2015)     

Australia has extensive experience in calibration and validation campaigns. The Australian authorities have offered their know-how in this regard to benefit Sentinel data and products. Australia’s data dissemination capabilities could also be used to support data needs in the Asia-Pacific region.

A Cooperation Arrangement with Australia was signed in November 2015.

Learn more about Copernicus Australia here.

 

 

 

Chile, Colombia and Brazil (Mar. 2018)              

The European Commission signed a cooperation agreement with Chile, Colombia and Brazil on 8 March 2018 in Sao Paulo.

Under these arrangements, the European Commission intends to provide its partners in the three countries with access to the data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites using high bandwidth connections from data hub to data hub.

The three Latin American partner countries will facilitate access to in-situ data from their regional observatory networks, including geophysical and meteorological networks. Copernicus will also gain full, free and open access to Brazilian Earth observation satellite data.

To know more about this cooperation agreement, see the corresponding Press Release.

 

 

 

 

 

India (Mar. 2018)     

The European Commission signed a cooperation arrangement with the Indian Department of Space (DOS) on 19 March 2018 in Bangalore.

Under this arrangement, the European Commission intends to provide India with free, full and open access to the data from the Copernicus Sentinel family of satellites using high bandwidth connections from data hub to data hub.

Reciprocally the Indian DOS will provide Copernicus with a free, full and open access to the data from Earth observation satellites operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This comprises land, ocean and atmospheric series of ISRO’s civilian satellites with the exception of commercial high-resolution satellites data.

To know more about this cooperation agreement, see the corresponding Press Release.

 

 

 

Ukraine (May 2018)     

On 25 May 2018, the European Commission and the State Space Agency of Ukraine signed a cooperation agreement that establishes a partnership on Earth observation.

Under this cooperation arrangement, Ukrainian citizens, academics, researchers and the private sector will be provided with free, full and open access to data from the family of Copernicus Sentinel satellites using high bandwidth connections from data hub to data hub.

Reciprocally, the State Space Agency of Ukraine also intends to provide the Copernicus Programme with free, full and open access to data from its Earth observation satellites.

To know more about this cooperation agreement, see the corresponding Press Release.

 

 

 

Serbia (Jun. 2018)     

The European Commission and Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia signed a Copernicus Cooperation Arrangement on 7 June 2018 in Brussels.

Under the Cooperation Arrangement, the “BioSense Institute” will co-ordinate and promote the use of information and data provided by the Copernicus Programme with various Serbian institutions in the public sectors and with academia and private enterprises.

The cooperation agreement makes it possible for Serbian citizens, academics, researchers and the private sector to have access to the data from the family of Copernicus Sentinel satellites using high bandwidth connections from data hub to data hub.

Reciprocally, The “BioSense Institute” intends to provide an interface between its biosystems database and the Copernicus Data Information and Access Service (DIAS), which have been launched in June 2018, in order to create opportunities for processing of Sentinel data in conjunction with data related to biosystems.

To know more about this cooperation agreement, see the corresponding Press Release.

 

 

 

African Union (Jun. 2018)     

The European Commission and the African Union Commission signed a cooperation arrangement in Brussels on 12 June 2018.

The cooperation arrangement will enable African Earth Observation data users to access Sentinel satellite data using high bandwidth terrestrial network connections from data hub to data hub.

The European Commission and the African Union Commission are pursuing Earth observation activities in a number of areas of common interest and cooperate in the framework of the GMES and Africa partnership. They consider that sharing satellite data and information, including from African Earth observation satellites, will provide mutual benefits once interoperability and integrity are ascertained.

To know more, visit the GMES4Africa website.

 

 

 

Canada (May 2022)     

The European Commission and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) signed a Copernicus Arrangement on 16 May 2022.

The aim of the Arrangement is to share each other’s satellite Earth Observation data on the basis of reciprocity. End-users in Canada will have a facilitated and simplified access to Copernicus data through a local data hub set up by the Canadian Space Agency. Copernicus will have access to in-situ data from Canada which will make its data and information better and more precise. Access to in-situ data is particularly important for supporting the new EU’s Arctic Policy. 

 

 

Copernicus Cooperation Arrangement between the Commission and Panama   

The European Commission and the national authority for Government innovation of Panama have signed a cooperation agreement on 12/12/22.  
The agreement aims to improve cooperative activities to strengthen and stimulate administrative cooperation on Earth observation data and its applications. The agreement also aims to support the creation of value-added information and to encourage the application of data to new products and services. Both sides intend to encourage cooperation on data processing in areas such as management of natural resources, monitoring of marine areas, water resource management, impacts on climate, disaster risk reduction, food security, rural development and health management issues.

An “EU-Panama Copernicus Coordination Group” will be set up whose members may meet whenever necessary, to oversee and stimulate cooperation activities under this arrangement and to discuss topics of mutual interest such as exchange of best practices or comparison of products 
 

 

 

Copernicus Cooperation Arrangement between the Commission and Japan 

Japan is a key partner of the European Union Space Programme.  
On 17 January 2023 a Cooperation Arrangement on Earth Observation was signed.

This Arrangement will enable Europe and Japan to deliver Earth Observation data in a free and open way. 
It will provide precise and reliable information about our environment to address common global challenges, such as tackling greenhouse gasses, and to support emergency management. 
End-users in Japan will have a facilitated and simplified access to Copernicus data. 
And the Copernicus ecosystem will have access to Japan’s non – commercial Earth Observation satellites.

An “EU-Japan Copernicus Coordination Group” will be set up in which key partners ESA (the European Space Agency) and EUMETSAT (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) will participate.