|
GMES Advisory Council and GMES Bureau
The complexity of GMES requires adequate management structures to guide the various phases of its development, with a view to long-term sustainability of GMES services.
The first proposals on GMES management were made at the end of the so-called “initial period” (2001-2003) and in the Action Plan for 2004-2008. In 2005, the European Commission outlined its strategy for moving towards concrete delivery of GMES services in a Communication “GMES: from concept to reality”, which covered governance issues (roles and responsibilities of the various actors, structures to be created in the short-, medium- and long-term).
The two main management structures existing to date are the GMES Advisory Council (GAC) and the GMES Bureau.
The GMES Advisory Council (GAC) brings together the EU Member States, the Commission, ESA, and relevant other Agencies active in Earth Observation. It has the main role of maintaining and strengthening the "political ownership" of GMES.
In a decision dated 8th March 2006, the European Commission announced its willingness to complement the GMES management structure though the establishment of a specialised core team: the GMES Bureau. This Bureau, which operates for a period of 3 years starting from 1st June 2006, coordinates GMES activities within the European Commission and has the task to contribute to the long-term sustainability of GMES, including the preparation of proposals for GMES management structures.
|
