As a major European operational organisation providing Earth observation data, EUMETSAT’s main strategic objective is to respond to the evolving needs of the National Meteorological Services (NMS) of its Member and Co-operating States. This will ensure that EUMETSAT’s mandatory programmes and services continue to contribute to the increasing relevance of the NMS information and forecast services for the protection of life, property and the economy.

The organisation will achieve this by:

• Maintaining and evolving the existing range of meteorological and climate monitoring data, products and services in a timely manner that reflects the needs of the user community;
• Developing new satellite systems (including the ground infrastructure, product processing, archiving and dissemination systems) in response to the evolving needs of the user community;
• Working with the partners of the European Meteorological Infrastructure ( ) to maximise the positive impact of satellite data on nowcasting and numerical weather prediction.

Operational meteorological and climate monitoring services remain priorities; the development of new environmental services will cover the oceans, atmosphere, land and biosphere, as well as natural disasters, where they interact with, drive or are driven by, meteorology and climate. New satellite services are foreseen particularly in the context of the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security ( ) initiative.

EUMETSAT will ensure that its activities are an integral part of the European-wide effort in Earth observation, and the collective European contribution to the World Meteorological Organization ( ) and the Group on Earth Observation ( ). This effort complements Europe’s overall role involving the European Union ( ), the European Space Agency ( ) and national activities. EUMETSAT will seek to secure this position through the appropriate framework agreements.

To achieve this, EUMETSAT will:

• Work to ensure that the EUMETSAT operational systems are managed in a way that secures the maximum benefit for the user community;
• Ensure that the European contribution to the space-based component of the WMO global observing system is optimised so that the global system meets the needs of our Member and Co-operating States; thereby contributing effectively to the fulfilment of the requirements of WMO;
• Facilitate the identification of future needs and priorities from EUMETSAT’s mandatory meteorological satellite programmes, and in the areas of climate and environmental monitoring; based on approved needs;
• Provide, as resources permit, and in support of environmental policies, additional data, products and services for use in the improved management and preservation of the Earth;
• Establish bilateral and multilateral agreements to access data from relevant non-EUMETSAT missions;
• Identify partners for potential EUMETSAT optional or third party programmes, or for the enhancement of future mandatory programmes such as Meteosat Third Generation including the proposed governance arrangements for such cooperative endeavours;
• Extend the user base for EUMETSAT’s data, products and services through collaboration in research activities, support for training and the provision of assistance in the exploitation of EUMETSAT data to countries in Europe, and the developing world;
• Raise public awareness about the use of EUMETSAT’s data, products and services;
• Strengthen EUMETSAT’s role in international fora by acting as an authoritative European voice on space-based meteorology, climate and environmental monitoring issues;
• Improve EUMETSAT’s internal processes for delivering services through improved cost efficiency and “value for money” procurement; taking the maximum advantage of technologies developed in Europe and effective human resource management.

The current EUMETSAT Strategy was approved in July 2006 as the third edition of the EUMETSAT Strategy. It is updated every five years.