“We’re missing out on a major opportunity”
The EU’s Copernicus Earth observation program provides real-time data for climate protection, biodiversity, and other key areas. Yet Switzerland continues to refrain from financial participation—thereby forgoing a say in decision-making, economic opportunities, and the development of expertise in a field of the future. Researchers such as Claudia Röösli are critical of this decision.
The Federal Council has decided that Switzerland will not participate in the European Earth observation programme Copernicus during the 2028–2034 programme period either – despite repeated calls from Parliament and a recent study which concludes that the benefits of joining clearly outweigh the costs. Switzerland will therefore continue to use the freely available satellite data, but will remain excluded from participation in Copernicus services, tenders and committees.
«As independent data and data expertise are becoming increasingly important, Switzerland is falling further and further behind, and investments – for example, in the training of skilled workers – are going to waste.
In my view, the main long-term drawbacks are that we are missing out on the opportunity to build up expertise, innovation and economic strength through the use of this data, and to generate new data-driven economic sectors.»
Claudia Röösli, Group Leader in Earth Observation Applications and Services at GIUZ and Head of the scientific section of the National Point of Contact for Satellite Images (NPOC)
‘We’re not making the most of this opportunity right now’: Claudia Röösli on Switzerland’s decision not to participate in Copernicus
Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW, 03.08.2026
Klima-Beobachtung dank «Copernicus» ohne Geld aus der Schweiz
Echo der Zeit, SRF, 30.08.2026
L'absence de la Suisse du programme Copernicus irrite les scientifiques
RTS 1, 18.08.2026
Title image: Overview of the current Sentinels family with main applications. Credits: ESA. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0