Brussels, 23/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European space industry is calling on the European Union and its Member States to invest far more in military space application. Eurospace, association of European space industries, sent on Friday in Brussels, through its President Armand Carlier, "a warning to European governments" of the risk faced by the European Union and its industry of "finding itself in the rear" compared to the United States if the EU does not take on the major challenge presented by the expected increase in the American military space budget.
If Europe wants to see a European defence identity, this cannot be done without joint military space tools, feels the Eurospace President, for whom crisis management will lead to the increasing demand for space applications, which the United States have perfectly integrated into their doctrine. According to Eurospace, in the European Union, only France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany have understood this stake - other than them, nearly nothing exists. Today we cannot see the beginnings of the defence Europe feels Armand Carlier, because we are in a trough, the national programmes fall because we announce the defence Europe, but there is presently no growth in European programmes. Eurospace, which celebrates its 40th anniversary, welcomed the very good position of the European companies in the market for telecommunications satellites, where, last year, they have gained close to 50% of the market share. Though there too, without military programmes, European industry will find itself in the rear, warned the Eurospace President.
Other than defence and telecommunications, Ariane 5+ and Galileo, are both priorities for Eurospace. 2001 is a "crucial year" for Galileo, underlined Mr Carlier. The private sector may bring funds, but these funds can only come from industrial groups involved in the operating of the system (signal sales, electronic chips…) and not the manufacturers of space systems. Some industrial groups' do both, which can lead to some confusion, adds Mr Carlier. For Eurospace, Galileo is a civilian system, without military applications or management by the military (…) but which could be used by the military, which, after all, are generally solvent customers.
Eurospace has 53 members representing 90% of the turnover from the European space industry. According to the figures available, in 1999, the European space industry's turnover was EUR 5.48 billion in 15 countries (the EU Fifteen minus Greece and Luxembourg, plus Norway and Switzerland). The revenues from commercial contracts (47.8%, of which 17.8% for Arianespace); contracts with the ESA (27%); national civilian programmes (13.7%); national military programmes (9.5%); other customers (1.7%); the European Commission (0.3%).