Two documents were recently approved concerning the European satellite navigation system - Galileo: the European Commission’s Communication COM(2006) 272, on this programme’s current situation, and the draft Regulation of the Council amending Regulation (EC) no. 1321/2004, regarding the management structures of the European programmes for satellite navigation.
The Communication describes Galileo’s latest developments at several levels: creation of the space and Earth infrastructure; evolution of the concession contract negotiations; creation of the Supervisory Authority; transparency of the activities of the Galileo Joint Undertaking regarding the Supervisory Authority; preparation of Galileo programme’s uses; entry into service of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service - EGNOS; making of an access policy for the public regulated service - PRS; promotion of satellite radio-navigation by the community legislation; programme’s financing; and international cooperation.
This communication also includes two annexes concerning Galileo’s programme phases and the corresponding consolidated activity plan.
The Regulation aims at enabling the Supervisory Authority to complete the development phase of the Galileo programme after the Galileo Joint Undertaking is wound up. There will be, still in 2006, a gradual transfer of powers from the Galileo Joint Undertaking to the Supervisory Authority. This Authority was created under the terms of Regulation (EC) no. 1321/2004 of the Council, of 12 July 2004, to assure the management of the public interests regarding the European satellite radio-navigation programmes and to act as a regulatory authority to those programmes.
It is foreseen that the thirty satellites that make up Galileo’s constellation will be launched and the roll-out of the ground stations will be concluded between 2008 and 2010, with the beginning of the operation of the service, namely in its commercial component. Until the end of 2006 and beginning of 2007, the European Commission should release a Green Paper on Galileo programme’s applications.
Lastly, a draft document describing Galileo’s programme signal definition has already been published.
Further information:
- COM(272)2006 http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/galileo/documents/doc/comm_pdf_com_2006_0272_en.pdf
- COM(261)2006 http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/galileo/doc/comm_pdf_com_2006_0261_en.pdf
- Reg 1321/2004 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2004/l_246/l_24620040720en00010009.pdf
- Galileo Navigation Primary Codes http://www.galileoju.com/doc/Galileo%20Navigation%20Primary%20Codes.zip
- Comissão Europeia - Direcção Geral de Energia e Transportes - Galileo http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/galileo/
- Galileo Joint Undertaking (Empresa Comum Galileo) http://www.galileoju.com/page.cfm?voce=m&idvoce=301&plugIn=0
- ESA - European Space Agency http://www.esa.int
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- Launch of Galileo's first experimental satellite https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=321268
- Galileo https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=109882
