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In Europe, the European Community’s 
first land remote sensing program, the 
French Satellite Pour Observation de la 
Terre (SPOT) system, is operated 
commercially. Though more successful 
in data sales than EOSAT, SPOT Image 
requires substantial subsidy from the 
French government in order to function. 
Thus, attempts for total 
commercialization of major remote 
sensing programs have not been 
completely successful. It is doubtful that 
the market could support the large 
capital costs of a major remote sensing 
system. Furthermore, in Europe and the 
U.S. the desire for commercialization 
must walk a fine line between 
encouraging and discouraging private 
sector growth. In Europe, cost recovery 
policies may compete with growing 
private firms. In the U.S., national policy 
for commercialization must mesh with 
encouragement of the private sector. For 
example, in October of last year, the U.S. 
House of Representatives passed a bill to 
partially privatize activities of the U.S. 
National Weather Service in direct 
recognition of the growth of private 
sector firms: the Bill specified that the 
National Weather Service “will not 
compile data that the private sector is 
able and willing to provide.” 
Finally, attempts at partial or total 
privatization of data collection agencies 
must consider whether or not the 
existing market will support the 
collection of data needed for long-term 
scientific data sets. 
The Rise of an “Information 
Economy.” Many economists now argue 
that international economic systems 
have evolved into an “information 
economy,” where markets now respond 
to the inherent value of data, much as if 
data itself constituted a commodity. The 
above economic factors now affecting 
international remote sensing can be seen 
as an expression of this evolution. 
Increasingly, in a world where data is 
becoming more and more of a 
“commodity” in the traditional economic 
sense, we are seeing international data 
agreements moving closer towards 
43 
traditional trade agreements. For 
example, the on-going conflict between 
the U.S. and Europe over the World 
Meteorological Organization (WMO) 
Resolution governing charging fees for 
certain types of data has seen recent 
protests by the U.S. to the International 
Trade Administration, and possible future 
moves for the U.S. Department of 
Commerce to take over certain parts of 
the negotiation in a forum traditionally 
controlled only by meteorologists. 
New economic theories and systems are 
now evolving to govern the economic 
value of information. It is recognized 
that not all kinds of information have 
equal value. New standardized systems of 
valuation for information must be agreed 
upon and used in order to facilitate the 
growth of a global market for 
information as a commodity. Within this 
evolving context, allowing the scientific 
community free access to certain data 
takes on a controversial air. New 
international agreements must be 
reached regarding which kinds of data 
will be “given” to science. 
New regulatory infrastructures are also 
currently evolving to govern not only 
the value of information but its 
distribution and exchange. In the light 
of the growth of international computer 
networks, definitions of propriety and 
copyright, as well as value, will be of 
paramount importance. 
POLICY ISSUES 
The international community in the 
1990s is facing a number of complex and 
difficult policy issues which must be 
resolved, or at least adequately addressed, 
to facilitate international cooperation. 
These issues include: 
The Principle of Free and Open 
Access To Data. The Principle of free 
and open access to data has been a long- 
standing policy in the international 
meteorological community beginning 
with the creation of the International 
Meteorological Organization (IMO) in 
1873. 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B6. Vienna 1996