Program

GMES Operational Capacity Workshop
25 - 26 March, Sheraton Hotel, Sofia
Bulgaria

24^th of March 2010, Wednesday at 19.00 o’clock – Ice-breaking welcome event, Sheraton hotel

First Day – the 25^th of March, Thursday

08.00 – 08.45 – Registration

8.45 – 9.30 – Workshop opening, Sredetz hall
Moderator: Mr. Rosen Jeliazkov, Secretary General, Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria

• Welcome speech from Mr. Boyko Borissov, Prime-minister of the Republic of Bulgaria
  
• Video address from Mrs. Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response
• Presentation on the Bulgarian operational capacity in GMES – Mr. Aleksandar Tsvetkov, Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

9.30 - 10.45 - First Plenary Session: Raising awareness on GMES, Sredetz hall

• GMES evolution and opportunities, opening speech by Mr. Paul Weissenberg, Director Aerospace, GMES, security and defense
• GMES programme, Mr. Mauro Facchini, Head of Unit, GMES Bureau, DG ENTR
• The GMES space component - content and implementation approach by ESA, Mr. Josef Aschbacher, Head, ESA GMES Space Office, ESA - Earth Observation Directorate
• EU-12 participation in GMES through EUMETSAT, Mr. Paul Connet, EUMETSAT
• EEA In-situ observation infrastructures, Mr. Stoyan Blagoev, Project Manager, GMES in-situ coordination (GISC), European Environment Agency

10.45 - 11.30 - Coffee break and Poster exhibition opening, Serdika hall

11.30 - 13.00 – Second Plenary session: The point of view of EU-12, Sredetz hall
Moderator: Mrs. Petia Vassileva, Director of “Coordination of EU affairs" Directorate, Council of Ministers, Bulgaria

The capacity on GMES in the EC 12: national positions

• GMES in the Czech Republic (development, state of art, national capacities, data and GMES, expected way forward), Mr. Ondrej Mirovsky, M.EM, GMES coordinator, Czech Republic
• Estonian activities towards sustainable GMES program, Dr. Anu Reinart, Estonian GMES GAC member, Tartu Observatory – Estonia
• GMES and space related issues in POLAND, Mr. Piotr Świerczyński, Coordinator of National Technology Platforms, SPACE NCP, The Polish National Contact Point for Research Programmes of the European Union (KPK)
• Actions and programs towards developing the national GMES capacity in Romania, Dr. Ion Nedelcu, Project manager, Romanian Space Agency
• GMES and earth observation activities in Slovenia, Dr. Boris Pukl, Programme Committee Space (FP7) member and Slovenian Space NCP

13.00 - 14.30 – Lunch, Royal III hall

14.30 - 16.00 – Parallel thematic sessions
PART I: The added value of GMES services

LAND, Sredetz hall
Reporter: Mr. Hans Dufourmont (GMES Bureau, Joint Research Centre) and moderator Prof. Nikola Vitchev, Scientific Secretary General of the Agricultural Academy, Bulgaria

1. Geoland 2 – Integrated GMES project on Land Cover and Vegetation, Dr. Marek Banaszkiewicz, Space Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences
   
2. Geodynamics of the CEE, Balkan Peninsula and Bulgaria, Prof. G. Milev, Institute of Water Problems, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Dr. M. Becker, Darmstadt University of Technology, Dr. K. Vassileva, Central Laboratory of Geodesy, BAS, Dr. G. Stangl, Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Mr. I. Milev, Technet GmbH, Berlin, Germany
   
3. Satisfying the “GMES in situ data” need from the Member State perspective. The Spanish bottom-up approach, Dr. Antonio Arozarena, Instituto Geografico Nacional, Spain
   
4. GMES contribution to the improvement of the environmental status assessment in Bulgaria, Mrs. Ivanka Todorova, “Monitoring of land, biodiversity and protected areas” Department, Executive Environment Agency, Ministry of Environment and Water
5. Bulgarian capacity in the main GMES projects under FP7 – GEOLAND and SAFER, Mr. Vassil Vassilev, 7FP SPACE NCP, Remote Sensing Application Centre – ReSAC
   
   

MARINE, ATMOSPHERE, CLIMATE, Royal I hall
Reporter: Dr. Arno Kaschl, Chief Scientist, Research & Innovation Unit, DG Environment and moderator: Dr. Lachezar Filipov, Deputy Director of the Space Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

1. EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facilities - EUMETSAT contributions to the GMES user community
   • O3M-SAF: EUMETSAT's Satellite Application Facility on Ozone and Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring, Dr. Pieter Valks, Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF), German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
   • H-SAF: Hydrology Satellite Application Facility, Dr. Piotr Struzik, Satellite Remote Sensing Centre, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Poland
2. EuroArgo – Global Ocean Observing Infrastructure, Dr. Elisaveta Peneva, Meteorology and Geophysics Department, Sofia University “Saint Kliment Ohridski”
3. The European Chemical Weather Forecasting Portal (this is a joined initiative of EU member states), Assoc. Prof. Kostas Karatzas, Informatics Applications and Systems Group, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
4. An integrated micro-simulation modeling framework to measure and predict emissions and dynamic exposure, Prof.Dr. Davy Janssens, Dr. Mario Cools, Prof.Dr. Koen Vanhoof, Prof.Dr. Geert Wets, Prof.Dr. Tom Bellemans, Transportation Research Institute, Hasselt University, Belgium, Carolien Beckx, Prof.Dr. Luc Int Panis, VITO, Belgium, Assoc.Prof. Iliya Mitov, Assoc.Prof. Krassimir Markov, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

EMERGENCY AND SECURITY, Royal II hall
Reporter: DG ECHO (tbc) and moderator: Mr. Roussi Ivanov, Director of Department “European coordination and international relations”, Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

1. Services and Applications For Emergency Response (SAFER): Example "Flood risk management", Dr. Franz Jaskolla, International Relations, Infoterra GmbH
2. GMES services for Management of Operations, Situation Awareness and Intelligence for regional Crises (G-MOSAIC): Example "Monitoring and change detection", Dr. Marc Mueller, Infoterra GmbH
3. Near real-time alerting for humanitarian disasters using satellite and in-situ sensors: the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, Mr. Tom De Groeve, Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Joint Research Centre
4. Regional center(s) for emergency management, Mr. Ivan Philipov, Agency for Sustainable Development and Eurointegration – Ecoregions, Dr. Ion Nedelcu, Romanian Space Agency
5. BULGARISK - results and perspective, Mr. Daniel Sayag, Spot Image (France)

16.00 - 16.30 – Coffee break, Serdica hall

16.30 - 18.30 – Parallel thematic sessions
PART II: The users’ perspective

LAND, Sredetz hall
Reporter: Mr. Stoyan Blagoev, Project Manager, GMES in-situ coordination (GISC), European Environment Agency and moderator: Mr. Ivan Filipov, member of the Management Board of the Agency for Sustainable Development and Eurointegration - Ecoregions

1. GMES User’s perspective in land management for Bulgaria and SEE Region, Prof. Dr. Nikola Kolev, Agricultural Academy of Bulgaria, Dr. Sci., Mrs. Ljudmila Milenova, Remote Sensing Application Centre – ReSAC, Mr. Rolland Haarbring, Miramap NL
2. Constellation Imaging for GMES, Mr. Owen Hawkins, DMC International Imaging Ltd.
   
3. Natural Hazards Risk Prevention Operational Capacity Development under GMES, Mrs. Lilyna Turnalieva, “Spatial Data” Department, Executive Agency Electronic Communications, Networks and Information systems, MTITC
4. European water information for environment and security, Dr. Jan-Olof Eriksson, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute
5. Evolution of land cover and land use mapping in Romania, Dr. Ion Nedelcu, Romanian Space Agency
6. Earth observation for watershed management in FYROM – case study, Mr. Ivan Mincev, Skopjie University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”

Discussion – 30 min

MARINE, ATMOSPHERE, CLIMATE, Royal I hall
Reporter: Dr. Arno Kaschl, Chief Scientist, Research & Innovation Unit, DG Environment and moderator: Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Miloshev, Director, Geophysical Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

1. Marine monitoring in the Black Sea using satellite data, Prof. Stein Sandven, Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center
2. Earth Observation and GMES in a regional perspective, Mr. Dimitris Matsakis, GRACE Ltd.
3. GMES in Bulgarian space programme, Assoc. Prof. Lachezar Filipov, Space Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
4. COST Action ES0602 Chemical weather – Fostering scientific and technical cooperation within and beyond the realms of GMES, Dr. Thomas Klein, SMHI
5. GMES services on local level for increasing capacity of European Danube region, Mr. Spassimir Dimitrov, Rousse Municipality
6. Building HR capacity in GMES, Assoc. Prof. Anton Filipov, Faculty of Geology and Geography, Sofia University “Saint Kliment Ohridski”

Discussion – 30 min

EMERGENCY AND SECURITY, Royal II hall
Reporter: DG ECHO (tbc) and moderator: Mr. Vladimir Kanev, President of the Managing Board of the “Experts Pool” Association

1. Intelligent Framework for Risk Management, Mr. Roumen Venkov, DATACOM Ltd., Assoc. Prof. Stanimir Stoyanov, Computer Systems Department, Plovdiv University ‘Paisij Hilendarski’, Prof. Hussein Zedan, Software Technology Research Laboratory, De Montfort University, Prof. Mairtin O’Droma, Telecommunications Research Centre, University of Limerick
2. Methods and Means for Protection of Software Critical Infrastructure, Prof. DSc. Eugene Nickolov, Director of National Laboratory of Computer Virology and Vice-President of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Dr. Dimitrina Polimirova, NLCV, BAS
3. Capacity of Ministry of Interior for GMES integration, Dr. Lachezar Milushev, Crisis Management Department, Mr. George Gatev, “Fire Safety and Rescue" Directorate General and Dr. Antoaneta Frantzova, Aerospace Monitoring Center, DG Civil Protection, Ministry of Interior (MI)
4. Seismic Risk Management and Reduction, Assoc. Prof. Dimo Solakov, Geophysical Institute, Bulgarian academy of sciences in cooperation with DG Civil Protection, MI
5. Providing satellite based geo-information for emergency response activities, Mr. Vasile Craciunescu, METEO Romania
6. An operational perspective for the Security Dimension of GMES, Mrs.Patricia Romeyro Mascarenhas, EUSC – European Union Satellite Center

Discussion – 30 min

19.30 - Reception by Mr. Boyko Borissov, Prime-Minister of Republic of Bulgaria, Royal III hall

Second Day – the 26^th of March

9.00 – 10.00 – Third Plenary Session: Tour de Table – GMES services and EU-12, Sredetz Hall
Moderator: Mrs. Mariana Kordova, Director of “Monitoring of the EU funds” Directorate, Council of Ministers

Presentations from the reporters from the 3 parallel sessions and discussion

• Land
• Marine, atmosphere, climate

10.00 – 10.30 - Coffee break, Serdica Hall

10.30 - 12.30 - Fourth Plenary session – Conclusion and way forward, Sredetz Hall
Moderator: Mrs. Mariana Kordova, Director of “Monitoring of the EU funds” Directorate, Council of Ministers

• The GMES future calendar and milestones, Mr. Mauro Facchini, Head of Unit, GMES Bureau, DG ENTR
• "GMES Opportunities in Research projects", Mr. Tobias Skovbjerg Gras, DG ENTR
• Presentation of Sofia Conclusions, Mrs. Mariana Kordova, Director of “Monitoring of the EU funds” Directorate, Council of Ministers

Wrap up and the way forward: Dr. Stephan Lechner, Director, Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen, Joint Research Centre

Workshop Closure - Mr. Rosen Jeliazkov, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers

12.30 - 13.30 - Closing sandwich lunch, Serdica Hall