2020 draft EU budget : a budget enabling results for jobs, growth and security.
Date: 2019-10-01
Institutions: Directorate-General for Budget
Subjects: Community budget, EU budget, EU expenditure, EU programme, budgetary expenditure, common foreign and security policy, draft budget, economic growth, implementation of the budget, job creation, multiannual financial framework

2020 DRAFT EU BUDGET 
A budget enabling results
For jobs, growth and security

June 2019

The EU budget is an investment budget focused on EU priorities 
and objectives. It leverages national budgets and other policy 
instruments at European level to address the many challenges 
and opportunities faced by the EU. This requires a strong focus 
on performance, accountability and optimal control mechanisms 
to ensure that the budget is properly and eﬀ ectively spent. The 
quality of ﬁ nancial management of the EU budget has improved 
signiﬁ cantly over the past years. 

In the current long-term budget 2014-2020, the EU ﬁ nances 
around 60 funds, programmes and special instruments in Europe 
and worldwide. All of them have a solid framework for measuring 
and reporting on the programmes’ results. The EU budget’s results 
show that we are not only doing things right, we are also doing the 
right things.

“Performance, 
impact  and  the 
added  value  of  EU  funding  are 
key priorities for the Commission. 
We  want 
this 
performance focus to ensure that 
the money we spend allows us to 
reach the objectives we have set. 
This is as important as delivering on EU budget that is well-
managed and protected against errors and fraud.”

to  strengthen 

Günther H. Oettinger, European Commissioner for 
Budget and Human Resources

10 million young people participated in 
Erasmus, more than 3 million over the period 
2014-2018.

Almost €400 billion of vital investment has 
been mobilised via the European Fund for 
Strategic Investment between 2015 and May
2019.

More than 13.6 million jobs have been
created, close to 6 million of which in small
and medium enterprises between 2014 and
May 2019.

EU funding supports cutting-edge research
leading to more than 2,500 scientiﬁ c
publications in high-impact journals as well as a
great number of innovative products and patents.

Galileo and Copernicus satellite services are
used by more than 700 million users
worldwide as of May 2019 with signiﬁ cant
improvements in service quality since 2014.

Results

Investing in young people, jobs 
and a competitive economy

Protecting EU citizens and providing 
security and solidarity in the EU & beyond

Reducing economic and social 
diﬀ erences between European regions

The EU budget has become a key driver of
protecting the environment with 21% of the
2018 budget spent with a positive eﬀ ect on
climate targets compared to only 14% in 2014.

Promoting sustainable growth and 
supporting farmers, ﬁ sheries and 
biodiversity

Budget

As of May 2019, 14,000 young people have
volunteered and engaged in solidarity 
activities across Europe with the European 
Solidarity Corps.

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency
(Frontex) has helped to rescue 730,000 
people at sea between 2015 and May 2019.

More than 500 projects assist Member States 
to successfully integrate migrants and 40% 
of the overall migration spending improves 
conditions within EU borders and outside.

Together with its Member States, the EU is 
the world’s biggest donor of humanitarian aid, 
providing more than 40% of the entire amount 
spent on development assistance in the world.

More than 14 million young people beneﬁ ted
from the Youth Employment Initiative 
since 2014, contributing to a drop of youth 
unemployment from 24.2% to 14.5% in March
2019. 

More than €500 billion of infrastructure 
investment has been mobilised since 2014, 
improving connectivity across Europe in 
transport, energy and broadband.

Providing transparent performance information to support decision-making
The European Commission published the “Programmes’ Performance Overview” together with the 2020 draﬅ  EU budget reporting on 
what the EU budget has achieved over the period 2014-2018. This overview presents concise and clear performance information. It 
summarises each programme’s key features and achievements alongside the allocated money on two dedicated pages.

How much ﬁ nancing of 
the overall long-term 
budget envelope has 
actually been used?

COPERNICUS
EUROPEAN EARTH OBSERVATION  
PROGRAMME

How much progress has been made 
towards the targeted objectives?

Why is the EU spending 
money in this area?

LEGAL BASIS
Regulation (EU) No 377/2014 of the 
European Parliament and of the Coun-
cil of 3 April 2014 establishing the 
Copernicus Programme and repealing 
Regulation (EU) No 911/2010

PERIOD OF APPLICATION
2014 - 2020

MORE INFORMATION
http://www.copernicus.eu/

FINANCIAL PROGRAMMING (EUR MILLION)

2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Total programming

362.90
556.40
586.20
607.40
630.20
861.50
646.90
4 251 .50

OVERALL EXECUTION 2014-2018  
(EUR MILLION)

4 251 .5 
EUR MILLION

64.5 % 59.1 %

commitments
payments

EVALUATIONS/STUDIES CONDUCTED
Interim evaluation of Copernicus was carried out 
in 2017. For further information please consult:

http://europa.eu/!GJ34Xr

What are the most 
recent achievements?

Implementation status
Implementation status
The overall status of implementation is well on track with 
The overall status of implementation is well on track with 
the foreseen progress in the planning, with seven satellites 
in  orbit  and  in  operational  mode,  and  six  services  all 
operational. The last launch was Sentinel 3B in April 2018. 
The satellites produce now more than 16 Tbyte of high-
quality  data  every  day.  A  data  and  information  access 
service has been setup, to face the unprecedented users 
demand growth, and to improve access to Copernicus data 
and  services  while  facilitating  combination  with  other 
sources of data, to also reduce the need for downloads. 

Performance framework

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

What the programme is about
What the programme is about
The Copernicus programme is the European system 
The Copernicus programme is the European system 
for monitoring the Earth. It is a user-driven programme 
for monitoring the Earth. It is a
which  provides  six  free-of  charge  operational 
which  provides  six  free-of  charge  operational 
services to EU, national, and regional institutions, as 
services to EU, national, and regional institutions, as 
well as to the private sector: atmosphere monitoring, 
well as to the private sector: atmosphere monitoring, 
marine  environment  monitoring,  land  monitoring, 
marine  environment  monitoring,  land  monitoring, 
climate  change,  emergency  management  and 
climate  change,  emergency  management  and 
security.  The  programme  builds  on  the  initiative 
security.  The  programme  builds  on  the  initiative 
on  global  monitoring  for  environment  and  security 
on  global  monitoring  for  environment  and  security 
launched  in  2001.  It  aims  at  filling  the  gaps  in 
launched  in  2001.  It  aims  at  filling  the  gaps  in 
European  earth  observation  capacities.  Data  is 
European  earth  observation  capacities.  Data  is 
provided from space infrastructures, particularly the 
provided from space infrastructures, particularly the 
sentinel missions developed under the programme, 
sentinel missions developed under the programme, 
and in-situ infrastructure supported by the Member 
and in-situ infrastructure supported by the Member 
States. 

• 

• 

•  Monitoring the Earth to support the protection of the environment and the efforts of civil protection and civil security
•  Maximising socio-economic benefits, thus supporting of the Europe 2020 strategy and its objectives of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth by 

In  parallel,  the  Commission  pursued  its  cooperation  with 
international partners to promote the uptake of Copernicus 
promoting the use of Earth observation in applications and service .
globally.  The  use  of  Copernicus  data  and  information 
Fostering  the  development  of  a competitive  European  space  and  services  industry  and  maximising  opportunities  for  European  enterprises  to 
services is quickly picking up, including public organisations, 
develop and provide innovative Earth observation systems and services .
researchers, SMEs and start-ups. Following the launch of 
Ensuring autonomous access to environmental knowledge and key technologies for Earth observation and geoinformation services, thereby enabling 
enhanced data access platforms DIAS, the user base has 
Europe with independent decision-making and action .
dramatically increased to well above 200 000 users, and 
Supporting and contributing to European policies and fostering global initiatives, such as GEOSS .
is  still  growing.  Satellites  are  not  the  only  data  source, 
with Copernicus relying also critically on in-situ measured 
data.  The  Copernicus  in-situ  component  established  in 
2017  an  agreement  with  EUMETNET  encompassing  all 
six  Copernicus  services  -  it  is  foreseen  to  have  a  single 
interface providing access to meteorological, hydrological, 
and climatological data owned by all EUMETNET members 
which is recognised as a best practice of efficiency.

The  Copernicus  Services  transform  this  wealth 
The  Copernicus  Services  transform  this  wealth 
of  satellite  and  in  situ  data  into  value-added 
of  satellite  and  in  situ  data  into  value-added 
information  by  processing  and  analysing  the  data. 
information  by  processing  and  analysing  the  data. 
Datasets stretching back for years and decades are 
Datasets stretching back for years and decades are 
made comparable and searchable, thus ensuring the 
made comparable and searchable, thus ensuring the 
monitoring  of  changes;  patterns  are  examined  and 
monitoring  of  changes;  patterns  are  examined  and 
used to create better forecasts, for example, of the 
used to create better forecasts, for example, of the 
ocean and the atmosphere. Maps are created from 
ocean and the atmosphere. Maps are created from 
imagery, features and anomalies are identified and 
imagery, features and anomalies are identified and 
statistical information is extracted.
statistical information is extracted.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• 

Providing sustainable and reliable 
access to spaceborne data and 
information from an autonomous 
European Earth observation capacity.

Delivering accurate and reliable 
data and information to Copernicus 
users, supplied on a long term and 
sustainable basis enabling the 
services referred to in Article 4(1) and 
responding to the requirements of 
Copernicus Core Users.

Benefits for EU citizens
Benefits for EU citizens
The  Copernicus  programme  encompasses  a  pan-
The  Copernicus  programme  encompasses  a
European capacity and depends on the coordinated 
European capacity and depends on the coordinated 
provision  of  data  and  services  throughout  all  the 
provision  of  data  and  services  throughout  all  the 
Member  States,  which  needs  to  be  coordinated  at 
Member  States,  which  needs  to  be  coordinated  at 
Union level. From an economic point of view, action 
Union level. From an economic point of view, action 
at the EU level also allows for economies of scale 
at the EU level also allows for economies of scale 
from which public spending is benefiting. Copernicus 
from which public spending is benefiting. Copernicus 
(former  GMES)  explicitly  refers  to  five  areas  of  EU 
(former  GMES)  explicitly  refers  to  five  areas  of  EU 
legislation  in  the  fields  of  maritime  policy,  civil 
legislation  in  the  fields  of  maritime  policy,  civil 
protection, agriculture and space debris surveillance 
protection, agriculture and space debris surveillance 
and tracking. Besides, Copernicus continues to deliver 
and tracking. Besides, Copernicus continues to deliver 
data and information for EU policies for agriculture, 
data and information for EU policies for agriculture, 
environment,  development  and  humanitarian  aid, 
environment,  development  and  humanitarian  aid, 
energy  or  coastal  surveillance,  and  smart  cities, 
energy  or  coastal  surveillance,  and  smart  cities, 
climate change adaptation, border security and many 
climate change adaptation, border security and many 
other fields, including the IT sector and education.
other fields, including the IT sector and education.

Internal  Market, 

Who is in charge
Directorate-General 
Industry, 
for 
Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) is the lead DG for the 
programme implementation through indirect management 
as well as direct actions. A number of delegation agreements 
were  signed  with  the  European  Space  Agency  and 
EUMETSAT  (European  Organisation  for  the  Exploitation  of 
Meteorological Satellites) for the Space infrastructure, and 
six delegation agreements with the European Environment 
Agency, the European Medium-Range Weather Forecasting 
Centre, Mercator-Océan, Frontex, European Maritime Safety 
Agency and the EU Satellite Centre.

Market penetration

Engaged Users

Space Infrastructures

Outlook for the 2021-2027 period 
The  Commission  proposed  to  integrate  all  existing  and 
new  space  activities  under  the  umbrella  of  a  single 
European space programme.

Availability of Data

% of target achieved by 2018

Number of specific service components

PROGRESS TOWARDS THE TARGET (2020)

Providing a sustainable and reliable 
access to in-situ data, relying, in 
particular, on existing capacities 
operated at European and national 
levels, and on global observation 
systems and networks.

100%

14 out of 14 service components

>100%

 Index =195 out of Index= 140

>100%

300 000 out of 20 000 engaged users

88%

7 out of 8 satellites deployed

100%

6 out of 6 services

The “Progress towards the target” chart presents a snapshot of the selected programme indicators providing a consistent presentation across all spending programmes . 
It displays the share of the factual indicator value achieved with respect to the target set .

Voted budget execution 
Voted budget execution (in EUR million)

Examples of achievements so far
• 

• 

% EXECUTED COMMITMENTS

586.2
586.2

100%
100%

607.4
607.4

100%
100%

630.2 
630.2 

100%
100%

• 

• 

16

2016

2017

2018

636.7

99.7%

99.7%

560.6 

572.8 

99.68%

Copernicus  Emergency  Management  Service  (CEMS):  The  EMS 
% EXECUTED PAYMENTS
Mapping component was activated over 86 times (over 30% vs 2017) 
in 2018 to assist authorities in emergency situations. Disasters covered 
include wildfires, storms and floods and volcanic eruptions in and outside 
Europe, and earthquakes in Haiti, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The 
EMS monitors and provides early warnings for floods, fires and droughts 
to European and international organisations.
Copernicus  Marine  Environment  Monitoring  Service  (CMEMS)
supplies products for marine environmental monitoring and climate. The 
number of users regularly accessing the service has reached nearly 15 
000. In 2018, all products benefit from Sentinel 3A. 
Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) is providing information 
for  policy  development,  implementation  and  monitoring.  The  pan-
European and local  land component comprises products like the Corine 
Land  Cover  and  EU-DEM  (Digital  Elevation  Models),  high  resolution 
layers  on  imperviousness,  forest,  grassland,  wetness-water  and  small 
woody features, as well as urban areas, riparian zones and Nature 2000 
sites. The CLMS is preparing jointly with the CMEMS for a coastal zone 
monitoring  information  product.  At  global  level,  the  service  delivers 
variables covering vegetation, agriculture, energy, cryosphere and water 
cycles and domains. 

Copernicus  Atmosphere  Monitoring  Service  (CAMS)  provides 
data on atmospheric composition. Pollen forecast, stratospheric ozone 
monitoring  and  deposition  products  are  key  products.  There  is  an 
estimated  audience  of  18.8  million  people  for  the  daily  Euronews  air 
quality bulletins and the C3S monthly climate updates.
Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has initiated its transition 
to  an  operational  phase  in  2018.  It  has  become  an  important  and 
recognised  climate  information  resource  for  international  bodies.  By 
2018,  256  entities  from  24  countries  and  international  organisations 
are  contributing  to  this  European  effort.  C3S  was  the  first  to  confirm 
2018  was  the  fourth  warmest  on  record.  Many  sectoral  applications 
are benefitting from the Service including agriculture, forestry, health, 
energy, water management, tourism and biodiversity. 
Copernicus  Security  Service  (CSS):  Civilian  security  is  the  prime 
goal,  but  the  service  is  also  available  to  defence  users  and  missions. 
As an exception to the Copernicus open data policy, CSS products are 
restricted to authorised users. Some examples of use in 2018 include: 
the detection of migrants at sea and on EU external land borders; the 
provision of images to the Spanish Navy for safe navigation through sea 
ice in the Antarctic.

• 

• 

17

Find the Programmes' Performance 
Overview on the DG Budget website.

PROGRAMMES’ 
PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW

EU budget 2014-2020

https://europa.eu/!Qu94Fp

Extract from Programme Statements
of operational expenditure 
Draft Budget 2020

COM(2019) 400 – June 2019

Budget

A more detailed overview of all EU spending 
programmes is presented in the Working 
Document Part I on Programme Statements 
of operational expenditure, which is annexed 
to the draﬅ  budget.

© European Union, June 2019

PDF:

ISBN: 978-92-76-11217-4

doi: 10.2761/473709

KV-01-19-731-EN-N