Guidance

Copernicus Service Component: guidance for UK organisations

Published 27 February 2024

Following the UK re-joining Copernicus on 1 January 2024, this guidance supports UK businesses and research organisations that are interested in competing for service contract opportunities.

What is the Copernicus Services Component?

The services component transforms the data collected by the Space and In-Situ components into reliable and up to date information services in six thematic areas: land, marine, atmosphere, climate change, emergency management and security:

The Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) provides geospatial information on land cover and its changes, land use, vegetation state, water cycle and Earth’s surface energy variables to a broad range of users in Europe and across the World in the field of environmental terrestrial applications.

The Copernicus Marine Service provides free, regular and systematic authoritative information on the state of the Blue (physical), White (sea ice) and Green (biogeochemical) ocean, on a global and regional scale.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) provides continuous data and information on atmospheric composition. The service describes the current situation, forecasts the situation a few days ahead, and analyses consistently retrospective data records for recent years.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) supports society by providing authoritative information about the past, present and future climate in Europe and the rest of the World.

The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (Copernicus EMS) provides all actors involved in the management of natural disasters, man-made emergency situations, and humanitarian crises with timely and accurate geo-spatial information derived from satellite remote sensing and completed by available in situ or open data sources.

The Copernicus service for Security applications provides information in response to Europe’s security challenges. It improves crisis prevention, preparedness and response in four key areas:

• Border surveillance;
• Maritime surveillance;
• Support to EU External and Security Actions; and R&D for EO Security.

Opportunities for UK entities

From 1 January 2024, the UK is a third-country participant in the Copernicus component of the EU Space programme.  We have equivalent rights within Copernicus to EU Member States, with a few, limited exceptions.

UK organisations can bid for almost all commercial contracts to build or deliver elements of Copernicus. The UK has full access to the Land, Marine, Atmosphere and Climate Copernicus Services and is in the process of agreeing an improved level of access to the Emergency Management and Security Services. We hope to see UK entities winning contracts totalling hundreds of millions in the coming years.

Contract opportunities

The implementation and operation of Copernicus has been delegated by the European Commission to “Entrusted Entities” which act as service providers. These delegated entities regularly publish Invitations to Tender (ITTs) through which UK organisations can now bid to be involved in the implementation and operation of the programme.

EUMETSAT (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) is responsible for operating the ocean-monitoring Copernicus Sentinel-3A and -3B satellites and Copernicus Sentinel-6. EUMETSAT procurement opportunities can be found here:

https://eumits.eumetsat.int/ or please contact Simonetta.Tribuzio@eumetsat.int

Mercator Ocean International implements the Copernicus Marine Service. For procurement opportunities, Mercator Ocean procurement opportunities can be found here: https://www.mercator-ocean.eu or please contact pletraon@mercator-ocean.fr

ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) is responsible for the implementation of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). ECMWF have outlined their procurement opportunities for 2024 here: https://www.ecmwf.int or please contact Vincent-Henri.Peuch@ecmwf.int

European Environment Agency (EEA) oversees the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS). For procurement opportunities, please contact Usue.Donezar@eea.europa.eu

Are there any contracts that the UK will be excluded from?

We have not yet identified or been informed by the European Commission about any upcoming Copernicus contracts that the UK will not be able to bid for. The UK space sector may be excluded from bidding for certain Copernicus contracts due to security constraints, but we expect this to apply to a very small minority of contracts.