Brussels, 06/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European space industry has launched a new appeal for a decision to be taken without delay on the Galileo satellite navigation project. The Association of the European Space Industry (EUROSPACE) has called on the Galileo project, "to move forward without delay if eventual market uptake is not to be jeopardised…further hesitation in its approval will cause inevitable inefficiencies. EUROSPACE member companies represent 90% of European space industrial activities. The European project aims to develop a global satellite navigation system but has not gone further than the Transport Council for over a year. The change of Germany's direction on the matter could provide the green light for the continuation of the project at the Transport Council on 26 March (see EUROPE 26 February page 10). EUROSPACE has called on Member States to respect the deadline (the question will be asked at the Barcelona Summit) and has supported the Commission's call for creating a common enterprise in the expectation of a more detailed proposal. It appears that the European space industry favours a "classical model approach for the delivery of Galileo services". The industry has also stated that it understands the need for firm limits to be placed on the costs and is committed over the next two years to working with the Joint Undertaking to finalise the details of Galileo services so that, "industry can commit to a fixed price for the deployment and operation of the system".
Interviewed on France Inter on Tuesday, during the French Presidential election campaign, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin declared that the Galileo project remained a priority for Europe.