Thee-fold meaning. The focus of media attention on the Convention is understandable at this time, but it could lead to neglecting other European events that should be underlined. As an example I favour the three developments that should be regrouped to understand their significance and meaning: the final agreement on Galileo, the rescue of Arianespace and the signing of the contract for the future European military cargo plane (A400M, the European military Airbus).
These three decisions put together mean that Europe: a) reaffirms its determination to complete is satellite radio-navigation system, b) intends to maintain and develop its autonomous satellite launching capability; c) and will build its military plane for troop transportation. These are not measures susceptible of bringing about emotion in themselves for public opinion; yet Europe thus concretised both its desire for autonomy from the United States (and for some from Russia and China) in advanced technologies (for which space projects are crucial) and in defence (the military cargo plane represents a priority tool for the development of autonomous military missions). Legally speaking, the three decisions have not been taken in the EU context. But in reality, Galileo is a Community achievement and last year the EU had already adopted decisions relating to its launch. The decision by the European Space Agency (ESA) simply finalised, after a firm and explicit invitation by the European Council, the measures taken in the EU framework. As for Arianespace, it is an intergovernmental organisation, but to increase its efficiency and reliability, its inclusion in the Community framework is being studied. The European Parliament called for space policy to be included in the EU Constitution as a 'shared competence.' As for the A400M aircraft, its completion is set within the framework of Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); it is present in the ambitious specific programme developed by the 'four' (Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg), who gave new impetus to this machine.
With regards to Galileo, a newspaper gave the headline: 'EU pride recovered,' which will develop a 'Global Positioning System (GPS) free from America.' Until the last minute, the Americans increased their pressure against its development, emphasising their military and technological reservations based on the risk of interfering with the American GPS frequencies (which is a military priority). The divergences over this issue are not yet fully overcome. 'We have made proposals, the Americans refused them, it is for them to make new ones,' explained circles close to the Commission.
Industrial and economic repercussions. To the political and military importance as added the industrial and economic repercussions, which are far from negligible. The Galileo case is colossal; the force with which the Member States fought to finance the project, each with as high a stake as possible (see Bulletin of 28 may, p. 9), confirmed this. The investments and benefits expected are in the billions of Dollars, and thousands of jobs will be created. The EU/ESA public company that will steer the first phases of this programme, should be rapidly formed, and as of September a call for tenders to select the holder of the private concession could be launched. The winner will then carry the torch (in principal in 2006). The contract for the military Airbus, signed by the European armaments agency (OCCAR) with Airbus, totals roughly EUR 20 billion for 180 planes, but others will be sold and the estimated production will be for 400. The present buyers are (in order of importance): Germany, France, Spain, Great Britain, Turkey, Belgium and Luxembourg; the potential buyers are Sweden, Norway, Canada and South Africa; others could come. Two of the large countries of the 'enlarged' EU, Italy and Poland have not joined as, for the time being, they buy American. As for Arianespace, the recovery of the company should be spectacular: public financing should arrive, and at the same time businesses have undertaken to rationalise their work by reducing the cost of satellites by 50% so that the Arianne rocket becomes competitive. In this project, complications are not in short supply. In particular, one of the shareholders, the Italian FIATAvio (which holds 6% of the capital) sold its stake… to an American investment fund (Carlyle). The Director General of Arianespace, Yves de Gall, stated that the arrival of Carlyle in the capital may pose difficult problems for European leaders.
Other difficulties will not doubt arise. But for the most part the EU has rediscovered its pride in these crucial fields. This is what I wanted to underline. (F.R.)