GALILEO, satellite radionavigation programme: definition phase result

PURPOSE : to present the results of the definition phase of the satellite radio navigation GALILEO and to propose the continuation of the project. CONTENT : in its communication of 10 February 1999, the Commission presented an autonomous programme on satellite radio navigation, known as Galileo, to be developed in four proposed phases, including the definition phase due to be completed at the end of 2000. Stressing the need to give a positive boost to our industries and services, while at the same time ensuring Europe's independence in a technology as crucial as this one, the Council, in its Resolution of 19 July 1999, called on the Commission to develop a system for civil and global use managed by public civil authorities and offering significant added value in relation to the existing systems, while remaining compatible therewith. During the definition phase in 2000, the Commission and the European Space Agency have mobilised a very large part of the European space industry as well as a large number of potential service providers with a view to defining the broad outlines of this prject. The present communication sets out the results of this phase. It reaffirms the strategic goal and economic importance of the project and endorses that it be continued beyond 2001 albeit subject to certain conditions regarded by the Commission as essential to the successful implementation of Galileo. The Commission takes the view that: - satellite radio navigation is a key technology for the development of our economies and that the deployment, to that end, of a constellation of EU satellites is indispensable to safeguarding our independece; - cost/benefit studies show Galileo to be cost-effective and sufficiently attractive to obviate the need for any further public funding in the form of subsidies from 2007; - for the development and validation phase (2001-2005), the essential funding from public subsidies has been so planned that there is no need to call upon additional public contributions, under budgets of the Community or European Space Agency; - the funding for the deployment phase, comprising the construction and launch of satellites and the establishment of the ground-based infrastructure network, will require private sector investment of some EUR 1.5 billion; and that an appropriate public-private partnership will be in place in time for the development and validation phase; - the setting-up of a public-private partnership requires a legal and financial framework as soon as possible. Furthermore, a coordinated, provisional management structure for the Galileo project, involving the Commission and the European Space Agency, should be set up by 2001. The proposals needed to set-up the final structure with an investment budget combining all the funds earmarked for the project will be drawn up by the Commission. Egnos should be controlled by this structure. Lastly, a report will be made each year to the Council and to the European Parliament on the progress made in this area, and on the setting-up of the programme management structures, andto describe the funding of the deployment phase (2006-2007) by December 2004.�