Brussels, 08/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The definition phase of Galileo, the European project for satellite navigation and positioning, will be the object of a first assessment in June, presented in the form of an interim report by the Commission for the Transports Council. This week, the Commission will start a series of meetings with businessmen so as to prepare the industrial aspect of this interim report. The definition phase must end in December with a report by the Commission for the Council for Galileo's architecture and financing, the informal international negotiations and the partnership with the private sector.
During their inauguration, last Thursday, the European Commission and European Space Agency's (ESA) Programme office for the Galileo project, Commissioner Loyola de Palacio and the President of ESA, Antonio Rodota, welcomed the good work in this phase of the definition. As we have indicated in our Bulletin of the 6 May, p.8, the Commissioner even said that, "this project, the most ambitious in the EU", could well be operational before the planned date of 2008.
The Commissioner, as with the President of the ESA, Antonio Rodota, reminded of the stakes of this project, and to give the EU its own global satellite navigation and positioning system, while the applications market is in full growth. If both, the Commission and ESA, have their own role, it will truly be a "European project," underlined Mr. Rodota, who welcomed the "sane competition" that prevails between the two organisations, the programme office will be responsible for co-ordinating their work. Other joint projects are being studied, he added.
"The project is headed by Europe, but is not exclusively European." Negotiations are underway with Russia and the United States, present holders of the two only global satellite navigation systems, but also with other countries, including Canada and Japan. The required frequencies for the transmission of the signals and an important stake - and very current - of these discussions. The Istanbul Conference started this Monday, to last for close to one month. Russia has supported the European requests for frequencies. The United States has for the moment neither brought nor refused this support - discussions are underway
Negotiations are underway with Russia and the United States, present holders of the two only global satellite navigation systems, but also with other countries, including Canada and Japan. The required frequencies for the transmission of the signals and an important stake - and very current - of these discussions. The Istanbul Conference started this Monday, to last for close to one month. Russia has supported the European requests for frequencies. The United States has for the moment neither brought nor refused this support - discussions are underway
If the Commissioner spoke of the importance of good co-operation with the United States, it has not failed to underline, as the ESA President, that "despite the civilian use of the American GSP" Europe cannot rely on it since "the American authorities are maintaining the quality signal for themselves" and its future interruption "in relation to strategic interests."