MERCATOR OCEAN JOURNA: 
SEPTEMBER 2021 
3.2 Tier 2: Mid-term R&D activities 
3. SERVICE EVOLUTION ROADMAP 
To ensure a continuous scientific and technical evolution of 
the Copernicus Marine Service over time, R&D activities are 
broken down into different categories (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3) 
with different associated time scales and actors (Figure 2). 
3.1 Tier 3: Long-term R&D activities 
Long-term (>2 years and up to 10 years) evolution needs 
are identified in the Copernicus Marine service evolution 
R&D strategy based on an analysis by MOi and the STAC 
of R&D needs. Monitoring and Forecasting Centre (MFC) 
and Thematic Assembly Centre (TAC) 3-year and 6-year 
development plans are reviewed by MOi and the STAC and 
also contribute to the definition of the long-term service 
evolution strategy. 
Unlike short and mid-term R&D activities, long-term 
Service Evolution R&D activities are promoted in the 
framework of external projects, such as Horizon 2020 and 
other European and national R&D programmes (Figure 2). 
Of particular importance for the long-term evolution 
of Copernicus Marine Service are the EU H2020 Space 
Programme with Copernicus Evolution calls for tenders. 
MOi, as entrusted entity by the European Commission (EC) 
to implement the Copernicus Marine Service, provided the 
EC with guidance on the content of the call so that they 
address long-term R&D needs. MOI monitored several 
projects funded through H2020, some funded through the 
H2020 Copernicus Evolution programme (e.g., CEASELESS, 
ıIMMERSE, SEAMLESS, FORCOAST), other funded from 
different H2020 programmes (e.g., KEPLER, EUROSEA). 
MOi also organizes Interfaces between these projects 
and the Copernicus Marine Service coordination teams, to 
3ssess the impact on operational production centres. 
Long-term R&D activities are as crucial as short and mid- 
term activities for the sustainable evolution of the Service. 
Mid-term R&D objectives (2-year cycle) are mainly 
addressed through Copernicus Marine Service calls for 
tenders. The goal of these calls for tenders is to ensure 
the scientific evolution of the Service and to improve the 
operational service within 3-4 years from the start of the 
projects (Figure 2). The STAC assists MOi in preparing 
service evolution calls for tenders and in the corresponding 
evaluation by external reviewers, selection and monitoring 
processes. Two calls for tenders were published over 
7014-2021 for a total budget of 5 ME€. Following the first 
>pen call for tenders, a batch of 12 R&D projects were 
junded for 2 years (April 2016-March 2018). The second 
zall for tenders led to the funding of 18 2-year R&D projects 
‘April 2018-March 2020). 
To ensure the research to operation transition, the 
Zopernicus Marine Service funded Service Evolution 
R&D projects are closely monitored by MOiI and the STAC. 
Coordination activities gathering the production centres and 
R&D project teams are organized twice during the lifetime 
af a project: at mid-term and at the end. After completion of 
projects, the uptake by production centres is also monitored 
by MOi especially during the formal development process 
for the evolution of production centres’ systems and 
products (e.g., Design and Specification Reviews of the 
production centres, see Le Traon et al., this issue) 
3.3 Tier 1: Short-term R&D activities 
Short-term R&D objectives (timescale of several months to 
' year) are carried out by the Copernicus Marine Service 
production centres (Figure 2). Tier 1 activities address 
issues requiring fast responses for rapid implementation 
within the Copernicus Marine Service. They can integrate 
developments from Tier 2 or Tier 3 activities that have 
reached maturity and have proven benefits for uptake into 
operational systems. 
Evolutions of systems and products are managed by 
MOi through a formal development process. Evolutions 
proposed by production centres (TACs, MFCs) are validated 
by MOi through a specification and design process, ana 
the quality-control of new systems is performed to ensure 
nonN-regressions In terms of quality compared to former 
distributed versions (Sotillo et al., this issue).