WIREDGOV

The Irish Presidency has secured agreement with the European Parliament on an EU Regulation on the implementation and exploitation of European satellite navigation systems. The purpose of the Regulation is to establish a new financial and governance framework for the two European satellite navigation programmes, Galileo and EGNOS, for the next financial period 2014-2020 and beyond. It replaces and repeals Regulation (EC) No 683/2008, the current basic act for European satellite navigation programmes. The agreement reached today with the European Parliament requires final approval of Members States through the Committee of Permanent Representatives.

Minister Varadkar: The new regulation sets a high but achievable ambition for the EU in developing its capability in the area of satellite technology

Minister for Transport Tourism and Trade Leo Varadkar said on the outcome of these negotiations: "The new regulation sets a high but achievable ambition for the EU in developing its capability in the area of satellite technology particularly its flagship Gallileo programme".  The research and development aspects of the agreement will be funded through Horizon 2020 - a potentially €70 billion programme which the Irish Presidency is currently negotiating with European Parliament.

Note to editors

The Galileo programme is Europe's initiative for a state-of-the-art global satellite navigation system, providing a highly accurate, guaranteed global positioning service under civilian control. The fully deployed system will consist of 30 satellites and the associated ground infrastructure. Galileo will be inter-operable with GPS and GLONASS, the two other global satellite navigation systems.

The new regulation constitutes the basic act for the Galileo and EGNOS programmes during the new MFF-period 2014-2020 and foresees notably the funding and governance scheme for the implementation and exploitation of the systems under the Galileo and EGNOS programmes, such as the operations of the space and terrestrial infrastructures, the necessary replenishment/replacement activities, certification procedures, and notably the provision of services.
 
The proposal contains the following key elements:
– a financial request of 6.3 billion € in total (fully financed under the EU budget). These appropriations will be used to finance activities related to the completion of the deployment phase of Galileo, activities related to exploitation of the system established under the Galileo programme and of the EGNOS system;
– a definition of the EU satellite navigation systems and programmes and of the services they will provide;
– a new governance framework that establishes a strict division of tasks between the Commission, the European GNSS Agency and the European Space Agency;
– provisions regarding procurements related to the programmes.
 
EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, is Europe's first venture into the field of satellite navigation and paves the way for Galileo, Europe's independent global satellite navigation system currently under development. EGNOS is operational and available for use with both an Open Service and a Safety-of-Life Service for aviation.
 
More background on respective programmes can be found here.