Foreword

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) is a joint initiative of the European Commission and European Space Agency, which aims at achieving an autonomous and operational Earth observation capacity. The key for operational GMES services is to have an appropriate governance and business model structure supporting these services. GMES is the European Union contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems GEOSS. The role of the Bulgarian Information Office for GMES, is to support this process through exchange of information, transfer of knowledge and good experience, promotion of initiatives, and establishing contacts between potential partners, services providers and users.

Initiative expert group

for developing Bulgarian operational capacity in GMES

Welcome

to the Bulgarian Information Office for GMES

GMES - Bulgaria project aims to support the participation of Bulgaria and other member-states and candidate countries in the European Earth Observation Program - Global Monitoring for Environment and Security. The establishment of a single national point called Bulgarian Information Office for GMES (BIOG) will concentrate information, advisory and support activities related to GMES in one institution, what should result in an increased efficiency and synergy.

The project focuses on the following priorities:

• Support for participation of Bulgarian institutions, organizations in GMES thematic projects and introduction of institutions from other candidate countries into these projects
• Support in developing national and regional operational capacity in GMES services
• Support for growth of user segment of GMES-related projects
• Enhancing the active participation of the Community’s small and medium enterprises, especially those from the (new) member states still not so experienced in the space applications market
• Support to the realization of a special capacity building unit as part of the GMES program (including the space segment) in the (new) member states
• Clear distinction and different approach between environmental monitoring and risk and security management
• Support to the close cooperation between EU Program GMES and EU Directive INSPIRE and the use of reference information systems (data bases) for harmonization in the process of integration of the spatial data base
• Support for the establishment of a European Mediterranean Network for risk and security management

GMES Operational Capacity Workshop
25 - 26 March, Sheraton Hotel, Sofia
Bulgaria

On the 25^th and 26^th of March in Sheraton Hotel, Sofia was held the 1^st GMES GMES Operational Capacity Workshop - a joint initiative of the Bulgarian Government and the European Commission.
The Workshop was officially opened by the Prime-Minister of Bulgaria – Mr. Boyko Borissov. The participants were also welcomed by a video address from Mrs. Kristalina Georgieva - European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.
More than 160 participants from about 15 EU Member-states and representatives from different EU organizations and institutions such as DG ENTR, DG ENV, DG ECHO, DG JRC, European Space Agency, European Environmental Agency, EUMETSAT, etc. took part in the event.

More information on the event as well as presentations, pictures, movies could be found at GMES WORKSHOP-SOFIA section of this site!