Brussels, 18/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - With the European Commission announcing for the first half of 2007 a new long-term strategy for European space policy, everything seems to point to a move towards toning down the ambitions described in the 2003 White Paper on Space Policy. This was the assumption reached within the High Level Group on Space which brought together the representatives of the Member States and the Commission. One diplomat did not think twice about saying that the “ambitious and realistic” 2003 document was being buried just at a time when the European space industry, faced by fierce competition, is concerned about its future (see also EUROPE 9212).
Several problems lie at the origin of this breakdown in European space policy. First of all, the fact that there is no constitutional treaty has deprived the Commission of a legal base and a budget line which would no doubt have been useful for developing this policy. At the same time, one parliamentary representative notes, the space dossier has been moved from DG Research - where it enjoyed strong support - to DG Industry, where it does not arouse the same enthusiasm. As part of security policy and only receiving funding under the 7th framework programme (some €200 million annually of which 85% goes to GMES), the space sector will remain one of the poor relatives of Community policy over the next seven years. The GMES (Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security) system is struggling to come into being, although the unit headed by Herbert von Bose has recently set up a GMES Bureau responsible for activating the work of GMES development with the Joint Research Centre and the other DGs concerned (Environment, Agriculture, RELEX, etc.) also involved. Once the work has been completed, the Commission may seek to move forward in GMES implementation by setting up projects for maritime surveillance and crisis management to begin with, Herbert von Bose said during a meeting of the working group on space at the Belgian Senate on 6 July. From a personal standpoint, he hoped that, during review of the Financial Perspectives in 2009, it would be possible to create a small budgetary line for GMES alongside that existing for Galileo. The future radionavigation system by satellite does benefit from funding but this should be completed by upward review of private sector participation in order to ensure financing of the whole constellation composed of thirty satellites in total. This is just one of the things to be settled although the concession contract has still not been signed. It must be noted that discussions are underway between Member States and the Commission on the policy for access to the PRS secure signal (definition of user groups and conditions of use of secure receivers) and that the question of using this system for military purposes (mainly for targeting and piloting of missiles) has still not been resolved.
Although Belgian Socialist Philippe Busquin, who presides the Space Intergroup at the European Parliament, deplores the delays in starting up GMES and the minimal budget earmarked for Galileo when a “far greater effort” is necessary given American competition as well as rivalry from Russia, China and India, he must recognise that space policy does not arouse much enthusiasm among MEPs. Only some ten MEPs - including two astronauts, - Umberto Guidoni (PdCI) of Italy and Vladimir Remek (KSCM) of the Czech Republic -,French Socialist Gilles Savary, Christine De Veyrac (UMP) of France, and German Christian Democrat Karl von Wogau, regularly attend the meetings of the Intergroup which will devote a debate in November to manned flights.
The last undertaking of the Belgian presidency of the European Interparliamentary Conference on Space, is a seminar that will bring parliamentarians together on the theme “Space, Defence and Security” from 18 to 22 September in Kourou, Guyana. Over one hundred parliamentarians already have their names down to attend, said François Roelants du Vivier, Conference Chairman. The Italian government is to hold the presidency in 2007 and the parliaments of Poland and Romania have demonstrated their intention to sign up to this interparliamentary organisation.