On 28 October 2014, representatives of the European Space Agency ESA and the European Commission signed an agreement that nominates the ESA as coordinator of the Space Component of the Copernicus programme, with a relevant budget of 3.15 billion euro. This includes the operation of the Sentinel satellites until mid-2021 and the building of follow-on units, which should last at least until 2028–30.
The agreement was made in the context of the Multiannual Financial Framework - a seven-year plan for the EU's budget that includes the provision of 4.3 billion euro for the Copernicus environment monitoring programme between 2014 and 2021.
Copernicus' satellite delivers high-quality, timely and precise Earth-observation data to monitor the environment, lessen the effects of climate change and maximize disasters management interventions. In this sense, Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate General Enterprise and Industry said: "The European Union can be proud to own the dedicated Sentinel satellites. They will generate a wealth of data which will serve society in many different ways including by timely environmental monitoring as well as creating a thriving downstream sector".
“With the signing of the Copernicus Agreement, the Copernicus Programme reached another key milestone this year. ESA’s technical competence will provide a solid and complementary partnership to build a sustainable space infrastructure,” remarked Daniel Calleja Crespo, Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate General Enterprise and Industry.“The European Union can be proud to own the dedicated Sentinel satellites. They will generate a wealth of data which will serve society in many different ways including by timely environmental monitoring as well as creating a thriving downstream sector.”
