EU space Data (Galileo and Copernicus) Integration to support fisheries control

The European Commission Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space has published an open tender for a pilot project to define minimum technical, operational and regulatory requirements for integrating Galileo authentication and Copernicus SAR and optical data to support fisheries control. The contract is estimated at €2,000,000 for a duration of 31 months and requires electronic submission via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Award will be based on quality weighted 70 percent and price 30 percent, and the procurement dossier includes an Invitation to Tender, Tender Specifications, a draft contract and annexes covering security, IPR and VAT. The call was published in July 2026 with a submission deadline of 10 September 2026 and applicants must consult the portal documents for full eligibility and submission details.

Opportunity type and authority

Tender — DG DEFIS (European Commission)

Pilot procurement to define minimum technical, operational and regulatory requirements for integrating EU Space data (Galileo GNSS including authentication and Copernicus SAR/optical data) for fisheries control and to support standard-setting in European committees.

What it funds:A pilot project delivering technical, operational and regulatory specifications and recommendations for using Galileo and Copernicus services in law enforcement for fisheries control.

Who can apply:Organisations able to deliver space data integration, technical and regulatory work for law enforcement contexts (public bodies, research organisations, companies or consortia with relevant expertise); follow the tender documents for formal selection and qualification criteria Tender page. ¹

1. 1Estimated total contract value: €2,000,000 (estimated overall contract amount).
2. 2Planned duration: 31 months.
3. 3Submission method: eSubmission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
4. 4Key deliverable: standards/specifications to enable lawful use of GNSS authentication and Copernicus imagery for fisheries control.

Interested bidders must consult the invitation to tender, draft contract and tender specifications available on the portal for detailed eligibility, award criteria (quality 70% / price 30%) and security requirements. Submission deadline and other dates are on the portal Tender page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Tender documents including ITT, draft contract, annexes and specifications are published on the Funding & Tenders Portal: see the call details page.

Basic Opportunity Data

Title:EU space Data (Galileo and Copernicus) Integration to support fisheries control. Call identifier: EC-DEFIS/2026/OP/0009. Lead contracting authority: European Commission, DG DEFIS Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space. Procurement type: services (pilot project). Estimated total procedure value: €2 000 000. Planned duration: 31 months. Submission method: eSubmission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Main CPV codes: 73210000 (research and development services), 34513100 (navigation services), 34712200 (satellite imagery services).

Deadlines:Two dates appear in the metadata: 2026-01-01T14:00:59.000Z and the formal tender submission deadline 10 September 2026 at 16:00:59 Europe/Brussels (CET/CEST). An open tender event is listed for 11 September 2026 at 16:00:00. The published call documents date: 8 July 2026. Applicants must consult the tender documents for confirmation of relevant cut-off and enquiry dates.

Purpose and Scope of the Procurement

This procurement implements a pilot project to define minimum technical, operational and regulatory requirements for integrating EU Space data (Galileo and Copernicus) to support fisheries control and law enforcement. The aim is to address the current absence of standards and regulations governing the use of GNSS features (for example Galileo authentication) and Copernicus services (SAR and optical imagery) when used for law enforcement purposes in fisheries control. The deliverables will support European Committees tasked with drawing up standards applicable in the fisheries control domain.

Key technical focus areas:Galileo GNSS authentication and integrity features for vessel position verification; Copernicus SAR and optical imagery usage frameworks for detection and evidence; technical specifications for data fusion (GNSS, satellite imagery, AIS and other maritime datasets); operational procedures for evidence collection, chain-of-custody, and admissibility in enforcement contexts; regulatory and standardisation recommendations for European Committees; security and classification requirements (see Contract Appendix 2 Security requirements) ¹.

Procurement Documents and Templates Provided

The tender package published on 8 July 2026 includes the Invitation to Tender (ITT_2026OP0009_V1.pdf), Tender Specifications (OP_0009 revXTSpecRev3Modif_V1.pdf), Draft Contract (DRAFT CONTRACT EC DEFIS 2026 OP 0009_V1.pdf), Contract Annexes (including Annex III on IPR statements and Annex IV on VAT share), Contract Appendix 2 Security requirements, and a Declaration on Honour template (SPEC_Annex2_DoH_V1.docx). These documents define the award criteria, specifications, security and IPR obligations, contractual terms, and forms to be completed by tenderers. Applicants must download and complete the provided templates and follow the structure requested in the ITT and Tender Specifications ¹.

1. 1Invitation to Tender (ITT) — contains submission instructions, eligibility, award criteria and administrative requirements.
2. 2Tender Specifications — detailed technical and operational requirements and expected deliverables.
3. 3Draft Contract — proposed contractual clauses, performance obligations, financial and legal terms.
4. 4Contract Annexes — IPR statements, VAT share, and other administrative annexes to be completed.
5. 5Contract Appendix 2 — Security requirements and classification handling obligations.
6. 6Declaration on Honour template — required signed statement attesting absence of exclusion grounds and compliance with selection criteria.

Eligibility and Applicants

This is a public procurement tender issued by the European Commission (DG DEFIS). Eligibility and selection criteria are set in the tender documents. The procurement is not marked SME-suitable; selection criteria and required supporting evidence are described in the procurement documents. Applicants must follow the specific tenderer qualification requests and complete the Declaration on Honour where requested.

Eligible Applicant Types:Open to economic operators able to perform the contract under EU public procurement rules. Typical eligible applicant types include: private companies (SMEs and large enterprises), consortia/joint ventures, research organisations, universities, non-profit organisations, specialist system integrators, and consultancies. Individual natural persons are generally not appropriate for this type of service contract. Specific admissibility, exclusion and selection rules are contained in the ITT and Tender Specifications.

Structured Categorisation (Answers to Requested Questions)

Funding Type:Procurement contract (purchase of services) — the financial mechanism is a public contract award (procurement), not a grant, loan or equity instrument. The contracting authority will pay the contractor according to contract terms once awarded.

Consortium Requirement:Single lead contractor is required for contract award. Joint tenders and consortia are typically allowed under EU procurement rules by forming a joint venture or consortium; subcontracting is permitted subject to the tender provisions. The ITT specifies selection criteria and the required documentation for lead entities and consortium members.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU-wide procurement led by the European Commission (DG DEFIS). Eligible tenderers are economic operators subject to EU public procurement rules; the tender documentation should be consulted for detailed nationality and place-of-establishment restrictions. The opportunity is aimed primarily at organisations established in EU Member States, but procurement rules may allow participation from entities established in EEA or other countries where permitted by the contracting rules.

Target Sector:Space and maritime surveillance applied to fisheries control: satellite GNSS services (Galileo), Copernicus Earth observation (SAR and optical imagery), maritime monitoring (AIS integration), fisheries control enforcement, security-sensitive data handling, standards and regulatory frameworks, and related ICT/data fusion/integration.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are named in the tender text beyond the European Commission as contracting authority. The geographic scope is the EU and EU institutions. The lead authority is located in Belgium (European Commission headquarters), but the tender is an EU-level procurement.

Project Stage:Pilot / Demonstration stage: the procurement is for a pilot project to define requirements, standards and operational procedures rather than basic research or full commercial deployment. Expected maturity: demonstration, validation and standardisation support.

Funding Amount:Estimated overall contract amount: €2 000 000 (two million euros). This is the contracting authority's estimated budget for the procurement; the final awarded contract value will be determined by the procurement process and contract negotiations as set out in the draft contract.

Application Type:Open public tender via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Submission is by electronic submission (eSubmission) through the portal. There is a published Invitation to Tender and tender specifications; interested parties must register and submit their tender through the portal by the stated deadline.

Nature of Support:Monetary payment under a procurement contract (contract for services). Contractors will be paid according to contractual payment milestones and conditions set out in the draft contract. Non-monetary deliverables include technical specifications, standards proposals, and regulatory recommendations for European Committees.

Application Stages:Typical procurement evaluation stages: 1) Administrative and eligibility check (single stage), 2) Selection criteria verification (economic and technical capacity), 3) Award evaluation against quality and price (as per weighting: 70 quality / 30 price), 4) Clarifications and possible negotiations, 5) Contract signature and standstill period. The overall tender process thus involves multiple internal stages; the formal submission is a single-step tender with subsequent evaluation phases.

Success Rates:Not published. Typical competitive EU procurement success rates vary widely depending on number of bidders; contracting authority did not publish historical award rates for this specific call. Tenderers should assume a competitive process with multiple bidders.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding from applicants is explicitly required because this is a procurement contract: the contracting authority funds the contract according to the contract terms. Tenderers must however factor in any co-financing for subcontractors or proposed resources into their price and project plan. The draft contract and tender specifications specify payment schedules, VAT handling and financial clauses.

Award Criteria, Scoring and Evaluation

The awarding criteria are quality (weight 70) and price (weight 30). The Tender Specifications and ITT contain the detailed sub-criteria, scoring methodology, minimum thresholds and evidence requirements. Tenderers must consult the procurement documents to prepare responses to quality sub-criteria and price proposals, and to supply supporting documents for selection and exclusion criteria.

Security, IPR and Contractual Requirements

The procurement includes explicit security requirements documented in Contract Appendix 2. Contract Annex III contains IPR and statements requirements; Annex IV addresses VAT share. The draft contract sets out legal, financial, confidentiality, data protection and liability clauses. Tenderers must be able to comply with security handling instructions and IPR obligations and fill the required annexes when submitting their tender ¹.

How to Apply and Key Administrative Steps

1. 1Register in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and ensure a valid EU Login account.
2. 2Download the full tender dossier (ITT, Tender Specifications, Draft Contract, Annexes and templates) from the tender details page.
3. 3Prepare and complete all mandatory templates: Declaration on Honour, IPR statements, security self-declarations, technical and financial offer documents according to the structure in the ITT.
4. 4Assemble the submission package following the ITT structure and evidence requirements for selection and exclusion criteria.
5. 5Submit the tender electronically via the portal before the deadline (10 September 2026, 16:00:59 Europe/Brussels).
6. 6Monitor the portal for clarifications, Q&A and communications from the contracting authority. Note the additional information request period end date of 2 September 2026 for enquiries.

Suggested Application Template Structure (based on provided tender documents)

Use the documents supplied by the contracting authority. The typical structure below mirrors the ITT and tender specifications and should be adhered to exactly where the ITT prescribes a format.

1. 1Administrative envelope: Signed Declaration on Honour; legal entity form; evidence of eligibility/exclusion; power of attorney for consortium lead (if applicable).
2. 2Selection evidence: Financial statements, list of relevant past contracts, CVs and role descriptions of key staff, professional and technical capacity evidence, certificates and security clearances if required.
3. 3Technical offer: Methodology and technical approach; work plan and timeline mapped to contract deliverables; technical details on use of Galileo authentication, Copernicus SAR/optical processing, data fusion, chain-of-custody and admissibility procedures; proposed staff and organisation chart; risk assessment and mitigation; compliance with security requirements.
4. 4Management and quality assurance: Project management approach, reporting schedule, quality control, deliverable acceptance criteria, and communication plan with European Committees and stakeholders.
5. 5Price offer: Detailed financial proposal following the draft contract’s invoicing and payment structure, cost breakdown by work package, VAT treatment as per Annex IV, and any requested price forms.
6. 6IPR and confidentiality: Completed Annex III statements and any proposed IPR handling notes consistent with the draft contract.
7. 7Security appendix: Completion of security-related templates and demonstration of ability to comply with Contract Appendix 2.

Important References and Links

Tender details and documents are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal opportunity page: Opportunity page. The contracting authority page: DG DEFIS. The procurement package includes the Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications published on 8 July 2026 ¹.

Risk and Competitive Considerations

This tender addresses a strategically important domain combining space assets and law enforcement; expect high interest from specialised satellite data integrators, maritime surveillance consortia, research organisations, and defence/space system integrators. Key risks for bidders include meeting stringent security requirements, demonstrating admissibility of satellite-derived evidence for enforcement, and assembling multi-domain technical expertise within the tender budget and timeline.

Concluding Summary

This public procurement by the European Commission (DG DEFIS) seeks a contractor to run a pilot project that will specify minimum technical, operational and regulatory requirements for integrating EU space data (Galileo GNSS features and Copernicus SAR and optical services) to support fisheries control and law enforcement. The goal is to close the current gap in standards and regulations for using GNSS authentication and Earth observation services as admissible and reliable tools in fisheries enforcement actions. The procurement has an estimated budget of €2 000 000, follows EU eSubmission procedures, weights award 70 on quality and 30 on price, and supplies a full tender dossier including ITT, tender specifications, draft contract and annexes. Interested economic operators should prepare a comprehensive technical and management proposal, complete the administrative and selection evidence templates, comply with security and IPR clauses, and submit electronically by the stated deadline. This opportunity is primarily aimed at organisations with demonstrated experience in satellite data processing, maritime surveillance, standards/regulatory work, and secure handling of enforcement-related evidence.

For detailed contractual clauses, security requirements, IPR provisions and the exact structure required for submission, consult the Invitation to Tender and Tender Specifications included in the procurement documents published on 8 July 2026 ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Procurement dossier published 8 July 2026 on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal includes: ITT_2026OP0009_V1.pdf, OP_0009 revXTSpecRev3Modif_V1.pdf (Tender Specifications), DRAFT CONTRACT EC DEFIS 2026 OP 0009_V1.pdf, Contract Annex III - statements-ipr, Contract Annex IV-VAT share, Contract Appendix 2 Security requirements, and SPEC_Annex2_DoH_V1.docx (Declaration on Honour). Access these documents from the opportunity page to comply with detailed submission requirements.

Opportunity Overview

This is an open call for tenders (Procedure Type:Open procedure) issued by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) to implement a Pilot Project focused on integrating EU Space data for fisheries law enforcement [[1]][[18]]. The project aims to define minimum technical, operational, and regulatory requirements for using Galileo authentication and Copernicus services (SAR and optical imagery) to support fisheries control, addressing the current lack of standards and regulations in this domain [[1]][[26]].

Key Contract Details

Deadlines and Timeline

1. 1Publication Date: July 8, 2026
2. 2Deadline for Additional Information Requests: September 2, 2026, 16:00 CET
3. 3Tender Submission Deadline: September 10, 2026, 16:00:59 CET
4. 4Public Opening of Tenders: September 11, 2026, 16:00 CET

Who Should Apply

Eligible applicants are organizations capable of delivering consulting services in ICT, Fisheries & Aquaculture, and Research & Innovation sectors [[1]]. The tender is suitable for entities with expertise in GNSS (specifically Galileo OSNMA authentication), Earth Observation (Copernicus Sentinel-1 SAR and optical data), and maritime law enforcement [[2]][[4]][[5]]. While not explicitly restricted to SMEs, DG DEFIS prioritizes SME involvement in defence and space supply chains, making this a relevant opportunity for specialized small and medium enterprises [[1]][[DG DEFIS Role]].

Technical Focus Areas:The project will specifically leverage Galileo OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication) for secure signal verification to prevent spoofing [[2]][[8]], and Copernicus Sentinel-1 SAR data for monitoring large ocean areas and detecting vessels, alongside optical imagery for identifying fishing activity and transshipment [[4]][[5]][[20]].

Strategic Objectives and Impact

The primary outcome is the development of standards and regulations for using GNSS and Copernicus services in law enforcement, contributing directly to the work of European Committees on fisheries control standards [[1]]. This initiative supports the broader EU Space Programme goals of innovation, economic growth, and security by enhancing Europe's ability to monitor and enforce fisheries regulations effectively [[16]][[19]].

Submission Requirements and Documents

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal [[18]]. Key procurement documents include the Invitation Letter (ITT_2026OP0009_V1.pdf), Tender Specifications (OP_0009 revXTSpecRev3Modif_V1.pdf), Draft Contract (DRAFT CONTRACT EC DEFIS 2026 OP 0009_V1.pdf), and various annexes covering security requirements, VAT share, and statements of honor [[Cft Documents]].

Footnotes

1. 1Official DG DEFIS information on the role in Space and Defence Industry is available at DG DEFIS Defence Industry and Space.
2. 2Galileo OSNMA operational status details are published by the European Commission at Galileo OSNMA Operational.