The Council of the European Union (EU) gave approval, on 11 December, to the revision of the community budget for the period 2007-2013, in order to allow the financing of the European satellite radio navigation system, Galileo, and of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). This decision comes after the session of the Council of Ministers for Transport, Telecommunications and Energy, held on 29 and 30 November and 3 December 2007, where agreement was reached on the global cost of the European satellite radio navigation systems (Galileo and EGNOS - European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service), amounting to 3.4 billion euros by 2013 when the commercial launch of these systems is expected.
Therefore, according to the revised budget, the ceilings for commitment appropriations under sub-heading 1a (Competitiveness for Growth and Employment) for the years 2008 to 2013 will be raised by EUR 1 600 million in current prices. This will be offset by a lowering of the ceiling for commitment appropriations under heading 2 (Preservation and Management of Natural Resources) for 2007 by the same amount. In 2008, 200 million euros will be raised under sub-heading 1a to compliment the financing of the Galileo satellite system. Meanwhile an allocation of 309 million euros was made to EIT for the period up to 2013.
In the approved conclusions, the Council points to the availability in 2013 of five Galileo navigation services: Open Service, Safety of Life Service, Commercial Service, Public Regulated Service, Search and Rescue Service. A number of other points were defined, such as political decision making and oversight, programme management and execution and the system’s ownership.
Consult:
- Comunicado: ''Council agrees on revision of the EU's financial framework 2007-2013: ''Galileo'' project - European institute of innovation and technology - Common foreign and security policy'' http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/misc/97575.pdf
- Conclusões do Conselho de Ministros dos Transportes, Telecomunicações e Energia sobre o lançamento dos programas europeus de radionavegação por satélite http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/trans/97344.pdf
Further information:
- Comissão Europeia - Direcção Geral de Energia e Transportes - Galileo http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/galileo/
- Galileo Joint Undertaking http://www.galileoju.com/page.cfm?voce=m&idvoce=301&plugIn=1
- European Space Agency (ESA) http://www.esa.int/esaCP/UnitedKingdom.html
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- EC proposes measures to guarantee future of Galileo https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=521843
