Both GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) and its key European contributor, Copernicus, offer a tremendous innovation opportunity for the EU in the domain of Earth Observation (EO) as these initiatives enable long term access to a broad range of EO datasets, opening new avenues for the delivery of innovative environmental products and services. These data sources provide new opportunities for business sectors in Europe to deliver information and products that are vital inputs to help policy makers, industry and citizens to adapt to changes occurring at different paces and affecting the Earth systems. The challenge faced today is to move from stand-alone observation data supply activities to more downstream integrated information services addressing citizens' needs directly within the context of their day-to-day lives.
However, those opportunities for the development of a new market of EO services and products cannot be fully exploited without a stronger involvement of commercial sector actors in both the GEO and Copernicus initiatives.