The European Commission has set up an informal expert group to provide the Commission with scientific, technical and operational expertise on matters concerning marine observation and data notably by:
- assisting in the monitoring of all phases of all projects set up to further the aims of the European Observation and Data Network (EMODnet);
- advising on the priorities for data to be made available through the Network;
- advising on how the needs of maritime business and investment can be served better by the provision of data through the Network;
- preparing an analysis of gaps in current or future marine observation systems that limit offshore or coastal investment;
- determining how private companies could contribute towards monitoring the seas and oceans and how the data they collect for their own purposes could be made more widely available
It replaces the previous Marine Observation and Data Expert Group (MODEG) who helped to define how EMODnet could work. The necessary expertise to continue this technical advice is now within the EMODnet partnership. What is needed is more the viewpoint of the intended users. This group should help with that.