EUMETSAT is an intergovernmental organisation and was founded in 1986. Their purpose is to supply weather and climate-related satellite data, images and products – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – to the National Meteorological Services of our Member States in Europe, and other users worldwide.

Currently a total of 30 Member States are a part of EUMETSAT, and the organisation continues to grow.

Member States have full access to data and services and are represented in the supreme decision-making body of the organisation, the Council.

The vision of EUMETSAT is to be the leading user-driven operational agency in Europe for Earth observation satellite programmes that fulfil the objectives of its Convention, and a trusted global partner for those outside Europe who share these objectives.

In realising this vision, EUMETSAT’s first priority shall be, through its own satellite programmes, to fulfil, in the most effective manner, the essential requirements of its Member States for observations and data services for operational weather and Earth system monitoring and forecasting, and for climate services.

For operational weather forecasting, EUMETSAT programmes and cooperation will respond to the needs of the European National Meteorological Services for satellite observations of the atmosphere, land-surfaces, ocean and cryosphere, in support of nowcasting, and short and medium-range forecasts.

For climate monitoring, EUMETSAT will respond to requirements expressed by the Global Climate Observing System and generate Climate Data Records from long series of satellite observations. This will be achieved making use of the expertise available at its Central Facility in Darmstadt, Germany, and within the network of eight Satellite Application Facilities (SAF) distributed across its Member States.

EUMETSAT’s second priority shall be to establish additional capabilities in partnership with the European Union and other satellite operators to achieve synergy with its own satellite missions for the common benefit of its Member States and partners.

The new strategy will take account of the challenging and dynamic environment in which EUMETSAT operates, whilst capitalising on the successes achieved through our previous strategy “EUMETSAT: a global operational satellite agency at the heart of Europe”, adopted in June 2011.

Indeed, the main strategic goal for 2025 is the full and successful implementation of the new MTG, EPS-SG, Sentinel-3, Sentinel-4, Sentinel-5 and Jason-CS/Sentinel-6 missions, based on a smooth transition from the current generation systems, so that the continuity and expansion of services delivered to Member States and users is secured for a further decade and beyond.

This new strategy will be implemented in the context of theEMI and selected European and global partnerships involving the WMO, EU, ESA and other national space agencies, together with a portfolio of bilateral cooperation agreements with international partners, considered as a strategic asset.

The Council is composed of high level representatives from the Member States which jointly fund EUMETSAT programmes and activities. Financial contributions of Member States to mandatory programmes, like Meteosat or the EUMETSAT Polar System, are proportional to the Gross National Income (GNI) of the individual Member States.

The Director-General is the Chief Executive Officer and legal representative of EUMETSAT, reporting to the Council. He is responsible for the implementation of all Council decisions and for the execution of all tasks and commitments of the organisation.

The Council adopts the programmes, decides on the accession of new members, and approves the EUMETSAT budgets, based on votes by the Member States. Each Member State has one vote.

Depending on their nature and importance, decisions are made by unanimous vote, by a qualified majority or by a simple majority. Major decisions have to be taken unanimously or with a majority representing at least two thirds of the financial contributions and one half of the Member States.

The Council usually meets twice a year (in spring and autumn) for ordinary sessions and can also meet in extraordinary session to discuss and decide on special issues.