European Union Satellite Centre

Torrejón, Spain

July 20, 2001

The Satellite Centre of the European Union ( European Union Satellite Centre English, EUSC ) is an agency of the European Union based in Torrejon near Madrid. His duties include the collection and analysis of information, which are obtained with the help of satellites. The information is used for decision making in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the EU's second pillar.

The center was decided 14 EU Treaty by the Council of the European Union in the framework of a joint action within the meaning of Art on 20 July 2001 and started its operational work for the EU on 1 January 2002. The human and material resources of the Centre have been adopted by the Western European Union, for which the Centre has worked since its inception in 1992.

In addition to supporting decision making, the center is also responsible for the training of personnel in the field of digital satellite image analysis and the creation of geographic information systems. The center operates within its tasks in close cooperation with the European Defence Agency and the European Agency for Maritime Safety.

The head of the center is since 1 January 2010 Tomaž Lovrencic (Slovenia).