"The European Space Agency is managing the GMES Space Component Data Access (GSC-DA) project in the frame of the FP7 space programme as part of the European Space Policy focusing on coordinating the access to space-based observation data to support GMES services. For 30 years, ESA has built up experience in providing access to its own and non-ESA Missions and coordination of harmonized data access, through well established cooperation with space agencies and mission operators. The primary objective of the GSC-DA is to supply the GMES Services, and herein with priority the FP7 funded three fast track services and the two pilot service projects, with all the required space data in a seamlessly integrated, timely, secure and coordinated fashion. It aims at providing a comprehensive and coordinated access to such data allowing the capacity to link directly the different Earth Observation (EO) Data Providers and the different Service Providers using coordinating functions. The GSC-DA projects’ driver is the EO-Data Access Portfolio (EO-DAP), its maintenance and evolution. The EO-DAP is the portfolio of available EO data products from existing space based sensors that will be provided from the GMES Space Component to the operators of the GMES Services during the GMES pre-operation period 2008-2010, and beyond within an evolution cycle of both Service requirements and EO-DAP data provision. Since satellites dedicated primarily to GMES services (ESA-Sentinels) will be available only from 2011, the portfolio starts using currently available data from various EO data sources defined as Contributing Missions. The Pre-Operations Phase 2008-2010 will thus include an agreement loop with Contributing Missions and a maintenance process that will take care of the user demand and missions’ evolutions. Moreover, GSC-DA does foresee a Pre-Operations Concept for developments of GMES dedicated infrastructure adjustments, harmonization of interfaces and data products."