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EU's Galileo satnav scheme needs millions more next year: MEPs
Strasbourg (AFP) Oct 25, 2007 The EU's troubled Galileo satellite navigation network, meant to rival the US Global Positioning System (GPS), needs millions more euros next year than planned, European MPs warned Thurdsay. Last July, under the European Union's 2008 budget proposals, the amount to be given to the ambitious project was set at 151 million euros (216 million dollars). But deputies in the EU Parliament, who share budgetary control with the 27 EU member states, deemed this sum grossly insufficient. At their first reading of the budget bill in the Strasbourg parliament, they bumped the figure up to 890 million euros, an amount they said was necessary if the project is to be deployed in 2013 as planned The problem is that the extra 739 million euros would bust the scheme's projected EU funding for the entire 2007-2013 period, thereby requiring some difficult revisions of the bloc's financial plans for the period. Deputies, who understand these problems perfectly well, wanted to force member states to demonstrate their political backing for the Galileo project, parliamentary sources explained. "Parliament is asking for this project to be run properly and that the funding shortfalls should be found from the community budget," said Finnish Liberal Kyosti Virrankoski during a parliamentary debate earlier. "Parliament cannot accept jeopardising Galileo ... which is an indispensable strategic tool," added French socialist MEP Catherine Guy-Quint. Work on Galileo, supposed to be a showcase for Europe's technical prowess, has stalled as cost over-runs pile up, private contractors bicker and member nations push their own industrial interests. The European Commission published proposals last month to raise an extra 2.4 billion euros (3.4 billion dollars) for the 30-satellite project, mainly using unspent money intended for farm subsidies from the EU's joint budget. In more general terms the Strasbourg parliament is calling for a higher EU budget for 2008. In July, member states backed an overall budget of 119.4 billion euros, 3.4 percent up on 2007 but 2.1 billion euros less than the European Commission had proposed earlier. The MEPS had called for the budget figure to be set at 124.1 billion euros. Related Links GPS Applications, Technology and Suppliers
Science And Galileo - Working Together
Toulouse, France (ESA) Oct 17, 2007Galileo is a promising tool for the scientific community, even though it is mainly intended for a set of practical services such as guiding cars, supporting safe aircraft landings or helping blind people to find their way. This was clearly demonstrated during the first colloquium on scientific and fundamental aspects of the Galileo programme that took place at the 'Cite de l'Espace' in Toulouse from 1 until 4 October. The colloquium was organised by the Air and Space Academy, the Bureau des Longitudes, the Academie de Marine and ESA. |
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