EU/Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) Cooperation Agreement: development of satellite navigation and provision of associated services in ASECNA's area of competence for the benefit of civil aviation

PURPOSE: to conclude the Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) on the development of satellite navigation and the provision of associated services in ASECNA’s area of competence for the benefit of civil aviation.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and ASECNA on the development of satellite navigation and the provision of associated services in ASECNA’s area of competence for the benefit of civil aviation was signed on 5 December 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

The Union strategy aiming to develop the use of this technology and provide associated services in ASECNA’s area of competence, particularly by creating an autonomous satellite-based augmentation service (SBAS) for the benefit of ASECNA and more generally to promote the use of satellite navigation on the African continent, is pursued actively under this Agreement.

The Agreement must now be concluded.

CONTENT: the draft Council decision aims to conclude, on behalf of the Union, the Cooperation Agreement between the European Union on the one hand, and ASECNA on the other, on the development of satellite radio navigation and the provision of associated services in ASECNA's area of ​​competence for the benefit of civil aviation.

The objectives of the Agreement are to develop satellite radio navigation and to provide associated services in ASECNA's area of ​​competence for the benefit of civil aviation by enabling it to benefit from European satellite radio navigation programmes.

The Agreement is part of the promotion of services based on these European satellite radio navigation programs on the African continent.  The co-operation activities provided for in the Agreement mainly concern the establishment and operation of the SBAS-ASECNA system, based on EGNOS system technology.

They also cover the use in Africa of the system produced by the Galileo programme, radio spectrum, standards, certification and international organisations, safety, research and development, human resources, communication and visibility, personnel exchanges and the promotion of satellite radio navigation services on the African continent.