Bridging Geoscience and Policy – EuroGeoSurveys presents the experiences and achievements of more than 50 years of supporting Geoscience across Europe, and highlights the path towards a Geological Service for Europe.
1970
A New Partnership
Geological Surveys Directors develop the concept of a partnership to promote geoscience in Europe
1970
1971
First informal network
The first informal network of 21 Western European Geological Surveys (WEGS) is established in Orléans, France
1971
1980
Increasing collaboration
Increasing collaboration between members and the development of thematic working groups
1980
1990
Membership Expansion
Expansion of EU membership and a growing recognition of the need for geoscience knowledge by policy makers in relation to societal challenges
1990
1992
First Coordinated Publication
"Geology and the Environment in Western Europe" becomes the first coordinated publication by the WEGS community

1992
1992
Evolution to FOREGS
WEGS evolves into the official Forum of European Geological Surveys (FOREGS), expanding to 28 members
1992
1995
EuroGeoSurveys Formation
Encouraged by the European Commission (EC), Geological Surveys from the 15 EU Member States and Norway decide to form EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) as a non-profit international association

1995
1995
Official Statutes Signed
EGS Statutes are signed in a General Meeting in Dublin, Ireland
1995
1996
EGS Secretariat in Brussels
The EGS Brussels Bureau opens to host the Secretariat
1996
1996
Not-For-Profit Organisation Status
EGS formally registers as a not-for-profit association under French law as published in the French Official Journal on 21st February 1996
1996
1998
Geoscientific contributions to the EU
Geological Surveys progress to become key contributors to EU co-funded geoscience research and development projects and policies
1998
2001
EU Accession Countries Join EGS
Geological Surveys from accession countries to the EU begin to join EGS as full members
2001
2004
Continued Expansion
EGS continues to expand as EU Member State numbers increase
2004

2005
Geochemical Atlas of Europe
FOREGS’ mission ends with the joint publication with EGS of the first Geochemical Atlas of Europe
2005
2006
Further Expansion
EGS now has 31 Member Surveys
2006
2010
A Geological Map of Europe
OneGeology-Europe produces the first harmonised interoperable geological map of Europe at 1:1 million scale
2010
2011
A call for a Geological Service for Europe
European Parliament calls on the EC to assess the need for an EU Geological Service
2011
2014
EGS Commits to a Geological Service for Europe
EGS members declare their commitment to establishing a common European Geological Knowledge Base and a Geological Service for Europe
2014
2015
International Collaboration
EGS initiates international geoscience collaboration with Latin-America by signing agreement with Association of Iberoamerican Geological and Mining Surveys (ASGMI)
2015
2015
EGS and CCOP
EGS becomes a cooperating organisation of the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP)
2015
2016
International Cooperation Expansion
International cooperation expands to include Africa as the PanAfGeo Project kicks off
2016
2016
Launch of EGDI
EGS launches the European Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI)
2016

2018
GeoERA Begins
GeoERA, the biggest collaborative geoscience research programme in Europe, begins with 45 Geological Surveys from 32 European countries
2018
2018
Further International Collaboration
EGS signs MoU with the Organisation of African Geological Surveys (OAGS)
2018
2021
PanAfGeo-2
PanAfGeo-2 launches, an expanded version of PanAfGeo Phase 1
2021

2021
50+ Year of Geoscience for Society
EGS marks 50 Years of collaborative geoscience in Europe
2021
2022
Membership Widens Further
Membership of EuroGeoSurveys is now 37
2022

2022 and beyond
Forward into the Future
Towards an integrated Geological Service for Europe - the launch of GSEU
2022 and beyond