The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission's communication of 30 November 2011 on the European Earth Monitoring Programme (GMES) and its operations (from 2014 onwards) (COM(2011)0831),

–  having regard to the Commission's communication of 29 June 2011,‘A Budget for Europe 2020’ (COM(2011)0500),

–  having regard to its resolution of 19 January 2012 on a space strategy for the European Union that benefits its citizens(1),

–  having regard to the Council Conclusions of 31 May 2011 entitled ‘Towards a space strategy for the European Union that benefits its citizens’,

–  having regard to the oral question to the Commission on the future of GMES (O-000325/2011 – B7-0027/2012),

–  having regard to Rules 115(5) and 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme is one of the European Union's two flagship space initiatives and plays a key role in earth observation, which is a vital tool in combating climate change and environmental degradation, in civil protection and security, sustainable development, mobility and crisis management, and in offering important economic opportunities by developing downstream services and fostering innovation;

B.  whereas GMES is politically, strategically and technically of major importance for Europe and offers very substantial value for money in terms of economic, social and technological benefits;

C.  whereas GMES has been set up as a Union programme, financed through the EU budget, totalling approximately EUR 3 2 billion up to 2013, under the management and responsibility of the EU;

D.  whereas lack of a credible financing plan providing long-term and stable financial support would probably lead to higher costs in the longer term, disparity of access to resulting information and benefits for European citizens, and an interruption or even a suspension of the programme and its data provision, and could ultimately mean that the investment made to date has been fruitless and that Europe would lose its independence and technological advancement in this important space infrastructure;

E.  whereas the Council requested on 31 May 2011 that the EU budget continue to fund the GMES programme in line with Union responsibilities, whereas several Member States have already indicated their objection to the funding of GMES being regulated by an intergovernmental agreement, and whereas the proposed GMES Fund will therefore probably not generate the necessary financing;

1.  Regrets the fact that on 30 November 2011 the Commission published only a communication and did not come forward with a legislative proposal on GMES, given that the current Regulation (EU) No 911/2010 covers only initial operations and will expire by the end of 2013;

2.  Disagrees with the direction that the Commission indicated in its communication as regards the future financing and government of GMES, the aim being intergovernmental funding of the project; is concerned that this direction will be hugely detrimental to the future development of the programme, cause the programme to lose its European dimension, contradict the principles of transparency and full, open and equal access for all, and be seen as a sign of disengagement by the EU from this flagship initiative;

3.  Does not believe that financing GMES outside the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) – with the funding and governance structure that the Commission proposed in its communication – is a viable option;

4.  Points out that uncertainty about the future of the GMES programme and its financing is hugely detrimental to the development and market uptake of GMES services and applications, which are expected to generate economic growth and wellbeing for European citizens;

5.  Calls, therefore, on the Commission to speedily table a legislative proposal for the long-term governance, funding and operation of the GMES programme, financed under the MFF, with the aim of securing the proper deployment and operation of the programme and achieving its objective of being fully operational as from 2014;

6.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2012)0013.