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Back Thank you so much, everybody.

And now, of course, a really important part of the EU space program, as we've seen in the,

in the last few months, I'm sure we'll hear more about that shortly.

Of course, Copernicus, I'm sure, one close to Olof our hearts.

So I'd like to invite Minister Philip Davis back to the stage to say a few words. Thank you, Minister. Thank you very much.

Now it is an important moment because we are talking about Copernicus.

Copernicus is the Earth observation program for Europe.

Earth Observation is crucial to understand the change of climate, to understand what's happening.

It also saves lives because it's also used when you have catastrophic events. You can follow what happened. You can understand flood.

You can follow, I don't know, when you have fires or things like that. So it's really crucial. And Europe is leading the way.

We have a program which is financed by the European Commission.

Most of it is developed by ISA, and it's an incredible asset. We are leading the way.

Are open and this is something which is very important and we really believe in that and we want to carry on.

Basically this declaration is a very simple declaration saying that Copernicus is an important asset for Europe,

but not only for Europe, it's a worldwide asset and we really want to carry on.

We want to continue, and this is basically the principle of this declaration.

We want to extend it, we extend it especially to the north and to polar countries, and that is really a great achievement,

and I want to thank all partners, starting of course by the Commission and by Commissioner Kamilius.

Thank you so much, Commissioner, if you'd like to join us on stage. Well, thanks a lot.

Again, it is a pleasure to have this moment of celebration.

It is a very specific moment because when we were talking and celebrating Iris Square.

We were talking about our success in the future.

When we were talking about launching, well, we talked a little bit about our historical experience that not everything was perfect,

but also we had very clear ambitions for the future.

Copernicus is a symbol of our great achievements in the past and today in space, so we are celebrating what we are able to achieve,

which means that we will be in the same way successful with what we are now starting to develop, like Iris Square.

And launch because we are very good and very strong, so that's my point. Second, really it's a very good occasion. A little bit in advance.

French organize this symposium one week before a very important event, because next week we hope that Sentinel 3C will be successfully launched,

if I am correct by VAC, and that will conclude the first to say,

the first constellation row of the Copernia.

So we are on a good stage as observation.

Copernicus it is very important and definitely especially during this winter, during this summer and in France, in Spain we saw how important it was in Greece,

how important was Copernicus with a warning about forthcoming heat waves and forest fires and so on,

but also observation definitely is becoming very important. For security and defense.

That is why we are also working together with Member States on the development of the West observation governmental service with a real time possibility,

almost real time possibility.

To show very precise pictures from the Earth, which will be very important for defense and security,

but also for resilience, for preventing any kind of natural disasters. That is what Copernicus is about.

So again, let's celebrate what we managed to achieve during the development of this very important constellation,

Copernicus Constellation.

Thank you, Commissioner, and certainly, last but not least, if I could invite Doctor Aschbacher back to the stage. Thank you.

So ladies and gentlemen, talking about Copernicus is very easy for me because I have been spending many, many, many years on the development of Copernicus since 1998 all the way to now,

so you can calculate the number of years the gray hair and the wrinkles on my forehead are partially coming from there because this is something that was not easy.

And even had an existential crisis around 2012 when suddenly there was not an assurance that Copernicus at that time,

GMES would continue.

But today, as the Commissioner was saying,

Copernicus is really referenced as a success model of cooperation in Europe.

It is also referenced as the Earth observation program monitoring all aspects of our planet.

The atmosphere, the oceans, the land surface, the polar regions, everything interconnected and all the parameters we have there,

and I think Europe can be proud, really proud of what we have achieved here together.

Not always easy, but really what we have achieved together.

And this is for me not only from a science and user perspective a full success.

All the users you mentioned, Commissioner, from agriculture to forestry to disaster management,

fires, flooding, airlines, everyone is using Copernicus data.

500 terabytes of data every single day is disseminated into the world for free. I think this is tremendous.

But for me it is also an example of cooperation between institutions in Europe.

And the way we work together, the European Commission, the Member States, the European Space Agency, UNISA and other organizations I think is exemplary, and I really would like to pay tribute to Olof you who have been involved in this, the Member States guiding us, funding the programs, allowing it to happen,

sometimes criticizing that things do not go the right way, we are adjusting accordingly and therefore Readjusting and underlining our programs, but overall I think this is such a tremendous success,

of course in terms of technology, in terms of data and services that are delivered, but also how Europe works together.

And I would like to say one sentence that for me Copernicus is a model of how Europe can really achieve things,

be successful, work together and shine in the world. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Director General, of course, I wanna take that opportunity to celebrate Olof those who have been part of this, to invite the whole Copernicus family up on stage.

You mentioned that you meat, but also EPA, the representatives of our member states, as well as all,

as all the interested parties, international partners who have played such an important role in Copernicus.

Please, join us on stage for a, lovely family photo. We have. The mother, the mother. Good. Let's, let's keep that all together. Thank you so much, everyone. Thank you very much. And thank you all so much. The conversation will continue.

Please join us at the European Commission corner, just beyond that blue er tunnel over there, just on the other side of that, the Commission.