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Joint Research Centre

Earth Observation for security

The JRC is at the forefront of Earth Observation (EO) for security applications. It helps authorities in Member States detect threats and act swiftly through Copernicus cooperation.

How Earth Observation is contributing to a more secure and safe Europe

Since the late 1990s, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) has played a crucial role in demonstrating the significant value of space-based Earth Observation (EO) for security-related applications and its importance in supporting policy compliance. Notably, the JRC has been at the forefront of promoting and facilitating the use of space technology for surveillance purposes—particularly in the maritime domain—for tasks such as oil spill detection, monitoring of illegal and unregulated fisheries, anti-piracy efforts, and law enforcement.

A long-standing cooperation with EU policy Directorates-general (DGs), Member States and EU Agencies

The JRC has, for the past eighteen years, defined, with policy DGs the architecture of the Copernicus Security Service as we know them today. The service is structured around a three-pronged model: (1) Maritime Surveillance (CMS), entrusted to European Maritime Safety Agency in Lisbon (EMSA), (2) Border Surveillance (CBS), entrusted to European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Warsaw (FRONTEX) and (3) Support for EU Security and External Actions (SEA/SESA), entrusted to European union Satellite Centre in Torrejón de Ardoz (SatCen).

The JRC has defined service specifications, operational procedures, and works on the evolution of services in close coordination with policy DG’s, EU implementing Agencies and end users in Member States. It actively contributes - together with the implementing agencies - to better aligning Earth Observation related operations with policy and end-user needs. Furthermore, the JRC has developed strong partnerships with a broad range of institutional stakeholders across Member States. JRC also maintains a long-standing collaborative relationship with the European Space Agency on related topics, thereby reinforcing synergies in this domain.

Adding value for enforcing authorities in Member States in daily operations

As a result of this joint effort, the Copernicus Security Services (CSS) provide, today, daily support to a wide range of EU and Member State policies. Users include customs authorities, navies, coast guards, police forces or fisheries control bodies, who utilize Earth Observation data - fused with other data sources by the CSS - to detect risk scenarios. These include detecting “dark vessels” potentially engaged in illicit activities such as drug trafficking or illegal fishing, spotting illegal ship dismantling (a highly polluting and hazardous activity that often involves child labour), monitoring migration flows, spotting drifting vessels and help saving lives at sea or detecting oil-spills and forecast drift.

CSS-derived evidence has also supported the dismantling of international smuggling networks, contributed to legal proceedings, and helped Member State authorities seize large quantities of drugs transported by sea (e.g., 5.2 tonnes of hashish in a single operation). In addition, the services have provided intelligence on illegal drug plantations and have been used by defence forces in counter-piracy operations and the monitoring of critical infrastructure (e.g., suspicious traffic over underwater cables and pipelines). CSS also cooperates with international organisations such as the United Nations Drug and Crime office (UNODC) and contributes to capacity building activities in third countries, along EU priorities.

Looking into the future

In 2025, this support was formally included under Portfolio Space Security and Defence, EUSEC Earth Observation component. EUSEC (EO) is also driving service evolution. In particular, we collaborate closely with the CSS operational entities (Frontex, EMSA, and SatCen) to improve service fitness-for-purpose and identify additional requirements and engage with the R&D community to develop new technologies and capabilities - including in space infrastructure - to close the gap between user needs and current service delivery. This is facilitated through an ad hoc initiative, the CSS Research Agenda (SRA), which provides recommendations for synergic actions and targeted investments under Horizon Europe, European Space Agency (ESA), and Member State programs, as well as the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The experience of JRC in Security Applications - including dual-use scenarios - represents a strategic asset that can be leveraged also for the development of a future Earth Observation ‘governmental service’ more closely aligned with defence-specific needs.