Brussels, 04/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) opened on Thursday a joint office for the Galileo programme. Galileo is the European satellite navigation system with world-wide coverage. The European Commission and the ESA are conducting the project jointly, the Commission for the general structure of the system and its financing, and the ESA for the more technical aspects. Launched last June by the Heads of State and Government, it is slated to become operational, after several phases -from development of the system and its financing to the deployment of satellites- in 2008, at a cost the Commission estimates at between EUR 2.2 and 2.9 billion.
According to the Commission, the joint office will result in better co-ordination of work and ensure a permanent contact for the different players involved. Galileo has been managed so far under interim structures. The creation of this office, which will supervise the real development of Galileo and later its operation, is the first step towards a viable long-term institutional framework for the programme.