Mapping the Greek EO community, their needs and building dialogue

This action aims to map the Greek potential users and developers of Copernicus. Potentially there are so many users in new areas for the Copernicus services and data. They all need to be identified, contacted and registered for the actions of this project. The action will also aim to map and group their needs. After this point, an active dialogue with them will be established with the aim to lead them in future uptake actions.

It is important to have an internal database with the potential recipients of the Copernicus users and developers. PRAXI and NOA have lists of contacts in many fields. Nevertheless, to respond to the challenge of Copernicus with its wide range of applications and the wide range of potential users and developers PRAXI will design and materialize a common database of recipients. NOA will feed the database with their contacts. The two partners will discuss about and identify the potential new recipients of the services of action plan.

The recipients will include people from:

• Public services and public authorities
• Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs)
• Companies
• Researchers and scientists
• Policy makers
• Representatives of associations or other stakeholders (chambers of commerce, clusters, technological parks etc.)

In general, the mapping will include the potential users or developers of the Copernicus as well as the influential people who could help towards the effective uptake. The recipients will be registered into a database, which will contain their contact information, their needs and their sector(s) of interest related to Copernicus described. This information will be obtained through:

• The events to be organized
• A registration form that will be used for any contact with interested persons
• Previous contacts with potential to Copernicus 

The mapping will use categories such as the type of the user (public, private, academia), the application areas of interest, connection to the current services of Copernicus and their skills and needs. The database will be dynamic and therefore will allow recipients to change their information.

Great importance will be paid to invite and include new recipients from public services, LRAs, companies and other stakeholders from areas that previously were not informed about Copernicus. As an example we could mention the people from agro-food sector that could become users of the Copernicus services and data and they are not listed in any such database.

The above-mentioned recipients will be actively supported to participate in an active dialogue. PRAXI will establish and animate an active dialogue with all of the recipients, with the following tools:

• Information sharing
• Initiate the creation of bottom-up activities (such as workshops or seminars or trainings)
• Connection of the Greek recipients with other established networks or fora nationally or internationally
• Creation of a form that will allow any recipient to register and express any creative idea for discussion to the better organization of the dialogue.
• Recording the obstacles for proper implementation of Copernicus services (for example, lack of proper legislation, administrative issues etc)
• Promotion of funding opportunities both national and international

The aim of the action will be also to support the production and procurement of downstream applications and services in national or regional levels. The core idea is to provide support to communities and the industry (Greek EO Providers) by closing the gap between the needs identified through the events and relevant mapping activities. This will assist interested communities to clearly understand the technical specifications of the EO Downstream Services.