Today, the European Union took a decisive step forward in the realisation of the Galileo project, which represents the greatest technological challenge in the history of the Union in terms of ensuring its own satellite-navigation system. It is also a major boost to the European industry in this field. EU Transport Ministers today supported the text of the proposal of the so-called Galileo Implementation Regulation, which represents the legal basis for the implementation of the budget and sets out a new management structure for the project.
“Today, we sent a clear signal to Europe and the whole world that we are still firmly committed to provide all European citizens and enterprises with a high-quality satellite-navigation service by 2013. We will create new jobs and Europe will claim its rightful place side by side with the technologically most developed world powers,” stated the President of the Transport Council of the EU, the Slovenian Transport Minister, Radovan Žerjav.
The budget for the implementation of the entire programme of the European global satellite-navigation system (the European GNSS programme) amounts to EUR 3.4 billion for the period 2007-13. The project consists of the EGNOS programme (the system of control and correction of signals coming from satellites, which consists of earth stations and satellite transponders) and the GALILEO programme (independent programme consisting of a constellation of satellites and a global network of earth stations). The European Commission is responsible for the establishment and operation of the programme, while it will be assisted by the GSA Agency and the European Space Agency in its implementation. The political control of the project, which will be 100% owned by the EU, will be performed directly by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, with the assistance of an informal body named GIP (Galileo Interinstitutional Panel).
