• The recently signed agreement emphasises the evolution of the space industry in both regions as a source of innovation and development in other areas of their respective productive fabrics.

• The two cities are part of the European Mission of Climate Neutral Cities in 2030 and have joined efforts to promote sustainability and climate neutrality.

Valladolid City Mayor, Jesús Julio Carnero, and the President of the Municipal Chamber of Guimarães, Domingos Bragança, have signed a collaboration agreement between the two cities. This agreement aims to promote collaboration and cooperation in the future Atlantic Constellation initiative, as well as in those areas related to innovation, digital and economic transition, environmental protection and the new space economy.

The Region of Northern Portugal is particularly interested in collaborating with Valladolid through this agreement, which will be the beginning of a close collaboration between both territories and will be extended to other areas.
The Region of Northern Portugal is particularly interested in collaborating with Valladolid through this agreement, which will be the beginning of a close collaboration between both territories and will be extended to other areas.

The Atlantic Constellation

The Atlantic Constellation is an Earth observation project that will collect data on the territory of Spain and Portugal and which complements the existing systems: the Sentinel satellites of the European Copernicus programme.

This constellation will be constituted by Spanish and Portuguese satellites operating in a coordinated manner. The Constellation is a tool for dealing with emergencies and natural disasters, security, and better management of natural, marine and coastal resources. It will also facilitate environmental monitoring, agriculture and forest management.

The City Council of Valladolid and the Municipal Chamber of Guimarães are strategically committed to a close collaboration within their universities, research institutions, and companies working on the Atlantic Constellation project.

Thus, the Geosat company, located in Boecillo's 'Parque Tecnológico', also based in Portugal, leads the consortium of the Atlantic Operations Centre that will control all the satellites of the Atlantic Constellation. Geosat is one of Europe's leading providers of Earth Observation satellites, high-resolution imagery and data analysis and is planning to expand its satellite fleet.

Both cities also share, through their universities, research and development centres, a common objective that is embodied in this collaboration agreement, whose initiatives include the following:

a) Promotion of scientific and technological cooperation in the emerging space sector to develop financial, institutional, cultural and educational conditions to boost the space sector in the two cities and regions.

b) Promotion of joint projects related to data control, monitoring and processing from the Atlantic constellation, in order to better manage water resources, territorial planning, environmental assessment, forest monitoring, and environmental disaster prevention.

c) Promotion of actions to deepen knowledge on the new economy of space and thus identify opportunities for partnerships between companies in both regions. The objective is to encourage investments that enhance the economic diversity of the cities' economic fabric and models around infrastructure, products and services developed for space markets.

d) Collaboration and exchange between R&D centres and universities of both territories in the areas of aerospace engineering, space telecommunications or artificial intelligence, allowing the development of actions related to academic and professional training and for the training of human resources necessary for the sustainable and secure growth of the future of the space sector.

An agreement between two cities committed with sustainability

The creation of the Atlantic Constellation has a clear impact on the environment, as it will provide data to improve the accuracy of climate predictions. It also plays a fundamental role in monitoring natural resources and provides a global and detailed view of the changes occurring in ecosystems, essential for their conservation.

Both Valladolid and Guimarães have made a commitment to Europe to become climate neutral by 2030 and to seek solutions to adapt to climate change. Through this agreement, collaboration in this area is also encouraged, with the exchange of experiences and best practices aimed at accelerating climate transition and sustainability.

The two cities will share knowledge and partnerships to foster the development of smarter and more resilient cities, with higher quality of life, smart and decarbonised mobility, and strong social cohesion: actions for citizens to live better lives in healthier environments.

Long-term collaboration in other areas

This agreement marks the beginning of a close cooperation between Valladolid and Guimarães for the development of innovative solutions in both cities. In addition to innovation and technology, this collaboration will extend to other areas such as tourism, gastronomy, heritage. An agreement will also be pursued to execute joint European projects.

Valladolid City Council is committed to boosting business and economic activity in the city, supporting sustainable economic development in the city, entrepreneurship, digital transformation and the promotion of an innovative culture, capable of fostering strategic and pioneering projects in the city.