The EuroGEO High-Level Working Group (‘the HLWG’) was set up in 2005 by the Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (’DG RTD’) and is composed of representatives of countries which belong to the European caucus of GEO.
The HLWG was set up as a result of the establishment in 2005 of the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) initiative, with its Secretariat hosted by the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva.
The HLWG facilitates and co-ordinates the opinions and activities of its members, with a view to providing coherent and sustained European leadership throughout the GEO initiative, including the preparation of joint European positions at meetings of the GEO Plenary and its subsidiary bodies including the GEO Executive Committee (ExCom) and the GEO Programme Board.
The HLWG’s meetings serve to inform and consult with European GEO Members and Participating Organisations on ongoing developments in GEO and provide a means to coordinate European efforts in relation to the advancement of the use of European Earth observation systems and infrastructures, like Copernicus, for evidence informed decision making in support of sustainable development goals. The HLGW provides a forum for discussion on matters directly related to the GEO strategy and work programme as well as relevant national and European-level research activities linked to Earth Οbservation including Copernicus.