Brussels, 06/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission is to adopt a report on the state of progress of the European radio-navigation programme by satellite, Galileo. The report also contains the timetable envisaged by the Commission for the various future stages necessary for the development and exploitation of the system by 2010. The report will be presented to the Transport Council on 9 June in Luxembourg.
The Galileo system will be composed of 30 satellites (27 operational and 3 on standby) on three orbits. In December 2005, the first of the experimental satellites (GIOVE A) was launched. According to the Commission, the second experimental satellite (GIOVE B) may be launched by end 2006. The system will then enter the in-orbit validation phase resulting in the setting up of the first control and launch stations for the constellation of the first four satellites in 2008. By 2010, the Commission hopes to be able to launch other satellites, conclude the construction of ground stations and begin operating the system with its applications.
In parallel to the setting in place of the space and ground infrastructure, negotiations with the Galileo industrial consortium will continue to assess the risks to be borne at times by the private sector and at others by the public sector, with nine groups of risk defined (excessive costs, accomplishment, performance, design, revenue and markets, deployment, risk coverage, compensation in case of contract termination, and refinancing). The Commission considers that negotiations may conclude by end 2006, which would allow it to present the results of the European Council and Parliament before concluding and signing the concession contract between June and December 2007.
The Commission also plans to prepare the gradual transfer of activities from the joint company Galileo, responsible for managing the development phase of the programme, towards the Surveillance Authority created in 2004 to ensure the management of public interests relating to the European GNSS (global satellite navigation system) programmes. The Authority will effectively begin its activities towards the middle of this year, whereas the joint undertaking Galileo will cease to exist on 31 December 2006.
This autumn, the Commission will also present to the Council negotiating briefs in order to be able to begin talks with third countries (for defining arrangements for their participation in the later phases of the programme), and also, before the end of the year, a plan for implementation of the policy for access to the Public Regulated Service (PRS) - one of the five services provided by Galileo and which will serve for national security in particular - in order to allow its use from end 2010. Finally, the Commission announces that it will present a Green Paper on the possible applications of Galileo, end 2006-early 2007.