DORIS_Net proposes a Downstream Observatory organised by Regions who are all members of NEREUS (Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies) and potentially users of GMES downstream services. The Downstream Observatory will facilitate links between both regional and European level GMES stakeholders. The regional users and service providers will be supported by dedicated interfaces as well as a network of Regional GMES Contact Offices (RCOs) to create the European GMES Downstream Service Platform - the heart of DORIS_Net. This Platform will allow more effective coordination of individual activities both within and between the regions of Europe and European GMES governance which is vital for growth in the downstream service sector. The Platform shall be tested and verified by a nucleus of European pilot regions already involved in GMES services. This scalable and robust concept results in a good geographic representation of European regions and reflects the depth of the GMES service portfolio. Six Core Partners: Bremen, Midi-Pyrenees/Aquitaine, Azores, East Midlands, Lombardia and seven Fast Track Partners: Basilicata, French Guyana, Bretagne, Mazovia, Castilla Y Leon, Madrid, Baden-Wuerttemberg make up the DORIS_Net consortium. In addition, DORIS_Net will expand to initially seven Outreach Regions (Latvia, Estonia, Ireland, Hungary, Finland, Madeira/ Portugal and Provence Cote d' Azur) which will be “tutored” in implementing the DORIS_Net methodology by Core Partners. This concept will enable the Platform to continuously expand allowing more and more European regions to implement the GMES service portfolio in a systematic and coordinated way. Furthermore, full support from NEREUS, as the NEREUS Flagship project, as well as the involvement of all major European networks ERRIN, AER, EARSC, EURISY and the CoR in the Advisory Board and dissemination activities will strengthen the impact of DORIS_Net on the GMES downstream service sector.