More broadly, the Council also endorsed EUMETSAT Strategy 2040, to be officially presented later this year, setting out how the organisation will enhance operational weather and climate services, prepare future systems and sustain innovation and cooperation for the benefit of Member States.

The SAFs are a network of eight specialised centres led by national meteorological and hydrological services and run by consortia including other expert institutions in EUMETSAT Member States. They transform satellite observations into ready-to-use information — such as datasets, maps and indicators — that help weather and environmental services carry out their daily operations and fulfil their public service missions.

Through the SAFs, EUMETSAT Member States play a direct role in transforming satellite data into services used across Europe. Expert teams develop products based on shared operational needs and make them available for the benefit of the wider EUMETSAT user community. Today, the SAFs are responsible for around half of EUMETSAT’s data product portfolio. The SAF network works in five-year phases that set the priorities, funding and services to be delivered.

The newly approved framework, formally known as the fifth Continuous Development and Operations Phase (CDOP 5), will guide the work of the SAF network through 2032. It introduces a stronger focus on user needs, quality of service and innovation, ensuring that products are developed in response to shared operational requirements across Member States.

“This approval confirms the value of a model in which Member States do not only receive satellite data, but help shape how it is turned into services,” said Lothar Schüller, SAF Network Manager at EUMETSAT. “With this new phase, the SAF network will continue to combine operational experience, scientific expertise and innovation to deliver services that respond to Europe’s evolving weather, climate and environmental needs.”

New developments will include climate normal and anomaly products, greater use of cloud infrastructures such as the European Weather Cloud, and stronger user engagement to ensure services continue to meet evolving needs.

The new phase will also enable the SAFs to make greater use of data from EUMETSAT’s latest generation of satellites and to develop more tailored products that can be integrated directly into weather forecasting and meteorological services.

Further details on EUMETSAT’s Satellite Application Facilities are available on the SAF pages.