Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - Taking stock of the GALILEO programme
Date: 2006-06-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, EU research policy, research programme, satellite navigation

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 7.6.2006 
COM(2006) 272 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL  

Taking stock of the GALILEO programme 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

Taking stock of the GALILEO programme 

GALILEO  is  the  largest  industrial  project  ever  organised  on  a  European  scale,  the  first 
European  public-private  partnership,  the  first  public  infrastructure  owned  by  the  European 
institutions. The 30 satellites in its constellation, positioned on three different orbital planes, 
have  been  designed  to  optimise  coverage  of  the  entire  planet,  a  feature  not  offered  by  the 
current GPS and GLONASS constellations. GALILEO will thus be offering a new worldwide 
public  service,  with  unrivalled  space  and  time  positioning  accuracy  throughout  the  world. 
While  the  GPS  service  available  to  the  public  currently  delivers  accuracy  of  five  to  ten 
metres,  all  GALILEO  services  will  be  precise  to  within  two  metres,  and  the  commercial 
service will even be accurate to less than one metre. The range of the five GALILEO services1 
is capable of meeting the needs of all potential users, wherever they may be in the world. 

GALILEO is perfectly in line with the Lisbon growth strategy. 

The scale of what is at stake can be illustrated by a few figures. In 2005, the world market in 
satellite navigation products and services reached EUR 60 billion. Over the last five years, the 
annual growth rate of this market came to 25%. By 2020, the annual worldwide turnover of 
these  markets  is  estimated  at  EUR  300 billion,  with  3 billion  receivers  in  operation.  Within 
the  European  Union  alone,  it  is  expected  that  150 000 jobs  will  be  created,  primarily  in  the 
high-tech sectors associated with the relevant research, applications and services. 

1. 

INSTALLATION OF SPACE AND GROUND INFRASTRUCTURE 

The  first  of  the  experimental  satellites,  GIOVE A,  was  launched  from  the  Baikonur 
cosmodrome  on  28 December  2005.  It  successfully  transmitted  all  the  signals  needed  to 
guarantee the use of the frequency bands allocated to the European satellite radionavigation 
system at the World Radiocommunications Conferences held in 2000 and 2003. 

It  should  be  possible  to  launch  the  second  experimental  satellite,  GIOVE B,  at  the  end  of 
2006.  This  satellite  will  carry  other  leading-edge  equipment,  such  as  the  PHM  (Passive 
Hydrogen MASER) atomic clock, which will be the most precise atomic clock ever launched 
into  space.  This  ultra-high-tech  equipment  will  make  it  possible  for  GALILEO  to  offer 
positioning accuracy far superior to that offered by all current systems. 

Alongside  this,  the  industrial  activities  of  the  in-orbit  validation  phase,  the  management  of 
which  has  been  entrusted  to  the  European  Space  Agency,  began  in  December  2004.  The 
contract for this phase, amounting to EUR 1 038 million, was signed in Berlin on 19 January 
2006.  These  new  operations  supplement  those  already  undertaken  or  planned  in  order  to 
complete the development phase. The total cost of the development phase, i.e. approximately 

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The  open  service,  commercial  service,  safety  of  life  service,  search  and  rescue  service  and  the 
governmental service (PRS). 

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EUR 1 500 million,  is shared equally  between  the  European Union  and the European  Space 
Agency. 

The in-orbit validation phase, whose cost is again shared equally between the European Union 
and the European Space Agency, will lead to the installation of the first monitoring stations 
and the launch of the first four satellites in the constellation in 2008. 

2. 

STATUS OF THE CONCESSION CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS 

Since the inception of the GALILEO programme, the Council has advocated that the project 
should be a public-private partnership. It has become clear that a concession solution is best 
suited to the specific features of the programme. This entails awarding a private organisation 
exclusive rights to the use of the infrastructure for a period of 20 years, in return for which the 
organisation bears at least two-thirds of the infrastructure construction costs. The task of the 
Galileo Joint Undertaking, set up by Council Regulation of 21 May 20022, is to manage the 
programme’s  development  phase  and  carry  out  the  procedure  to  select  the  future 
concessionaire. The infrastructure remains in public ownership, as the system is owned by the 
European GNSS Supervisory Authority (hereinafter “Supervisory Authority”), a Community 
agency  set  up  by  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No 1321/2004  of  12 July  20043.  It  is  the 
Supervisory Authority which signs the concession contract and acts as licensing authority. 

Negotiations  with  the  eight-member  consortium  (Aena,  Alcatel,  EADS,  Finmeccanica, 
Hispasat, Inmarsat, Thales and TeleOp) commenced following submission of a joint tender on 
20 June and 21 October 2005. 

An  initial  round  of  negotiations  resulted  on  17 February  2006  in  an  agreement  on  the 
principles to be followed during the remainder of the procedure. 

The  process  follows  a  procedure  whereby  risk  sharing  and  other  fundamental  issues  are 
examined ahead of the implications and financial commitment involved. In line with public-
private  partnership  (PPP)  principles,  negotiations  advance  by  stages  in  which  the  party  – 
whether private or public sector – best suited to bear each of the risks identified is determined. 
Nine  blocks  of  risks  have  been  identified:  cost  overrun,  construction,  performance,  design, 
revenue  and  markets,  deployment,  coverage  of  project  risks,  compensation  in  the  event  of 
termination of the project, and refinancing. Negotiations are already well advanced in seven 
out  of  the  nine  areas  identified.  The  main  remaining  differences  of  opinion  concern  the 
sharing  of  the  risks  associated  with  the  system  design  and  with  commercial  revenue  and 
market development. 

By  the  end  of  2006,  the  estimated  costs  and  income  and  the  public  sector  contribution  will 
have been finalised. In addition, the financial plan will be confirmed and the main terms of 
the  contract  will  be  fixed.  Then  the  stocktaking  will  be  certified  (“due  diligence”),  and  the 

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OJ L 138 of 21.5.2002, p. 1. The founding members of the Galileo Joint Undertaking are the European 
Community  and  the  European  Space  Agency.  The  bodies  of  the  Joint  Undertaking  are  the 
Administrative Board, the Executive Committee and the Director. The Supervisory Board, composed of 
one  representative  of  each  Member  State  of  the  European  Union  and  of  a  representative  of  the 
Commission, exercises political control over the Joint Undertaking. 
OJ L 246 of 20.7.2004, p. 1. The bodies of the Supervisory Authority are the Administrative Board and 
the Executive Director. The Administrative Board is composed of one representative appointed by each 
Member State and one representative appointed by the Commission. 

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contract  and  the  financial  plan  will  be  finalised.  Lastly,  between  June  and  December  2007, 
financial closure will be achieved and the concession contract will be signed. 

As of the end of 2006, the main outcomes of the negotiations will be known. The Commission 
will  provide  the  Council  and  Parliament  with  a  summary  showing  the  sharing  of  risks 
between the private and public sectors and the distribution of the main rights and obligations 
between  both  sectors.  The  conclusions  drawn  up  by  the  Commission  will  be  referred  to  the 
Council and Parliament before the concession contract is signed by the Supervisory Authority. 

3. 

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY  

The  role  of  the  Supervisory  Authority  is  to  manage  the  public  interests  connected  with  the 
European GNSS programmes and to be the regulatory authority for these. In particular, it is 
the  licensing  authority  vis-à-vis  the  concessionaire  selected  to  carry  out  the  programme’s 
deployment  and  commercial  operation  phases  and,  as  such,  is  responsible  for  signing  the 
concession contract. 

In  the  course  of  2005,  the  Supervisory  Authority’s  Administrative  Board  nominated  the 
the  Authority’s  work  plan, 
Executive  Director  and  adopted  decisions  concerning 
organisational structure and financial aspects. 

The  Authority’s  internal  structure  mirrors  its  main  tasks.  It  contains  five  departments:  the 
concession,  technical,  security,  market  development  and  administration  departments.  The 
Authority will effectively start its operations towards mid-2006, when the 20 members of staff 
currently  being  recruited  will  take  up  their  positions  and  when  the  basic  administrative 
infrastructure has been set up. It will be based temporarily in Brussels until a decision on the 
location  of  its  headquarters  has  been  adopted.  A  number  of  Member  States  have  expressed 
interest in hosting the Authority. 

Since the Supervisory Authority is required to sign the concession contract, it is vital for it to 
be  involved  in  the  operations  of  the  Galileo  Joint  Undertaking  over  the  next  few  months, 
particularly  in  the  negotiations  for  the  concession  contract.  The  Authority’s  2006  work 
programme  also  covers  the  technical  development  of  the  system,  including  frequencies  and 
certification, integration of the EGNOS programme into the Galileo programme (see point 6 
below), security, market development and activities under the Sixth  Framework Programme 
for Research. 

4. 

TRANSFERRING  OPERATIONS  FROM  THE  GALILEO 
UNDERTAKING TO THE SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY 

JOINT 

Once  the  Supervisory  Authority  has  been  set  up,  it  would  be  needlessly  expensive  for  the 
Galileo Joint Undertaking to continue operating after the end of 2006 since, in the course of 
2006,  the  Supervisory  Authority  can  gradually  take  over  and  subsequently  complete  all  the 
activities  currently  carried  out  by  the  Joint  Undertaking.  It  is  nonetheless  important  for  the 
Supervisory Authority to gain maximum benefit from the experience and knowledge acquired 
by the Galileo Joint Undertaking, so it makes sense for the two organisations to work together 
for  a  sufficient  period.  It  therefore  seems  reasonable  for  the  Joint  Undertaking  to  remain 
operational until 31 December 2006. 

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The  Commission  has  consequently  initiated  procedures  to  wind  down  the  Galileo  Joint 
Undertaking  by  31 December  2006,  by  which  time  all  the  activities  of  the  Galileo  Joint 
Undertaking will have been transferred to the Supervisory Authority. The proposed budget for 
the Galileo Joint Undertaking for the year 2006 will cover the whole year but will not require 
additional resources, as it already has the funding needed to continue its activities. The budget 
proposed for the Joint Undertaking reflects a gradual reduction in staff numbers in 2006. In 
this  year  its  main  task  will  be  to  conclude  the  concession  contract  negotiations,  since 
responsibility for its other activities should be handed over to the Supervisory Authority at the 
earliest opportunity. 

Provided that its budget is adjusted, the Supervisory Authority, on the other hand, would be 
able to recruit additional staff as of 2006 to handle all the scheduled tasks, including the duties 
associated with taking over the activities of the Galileo Joint Undertaking. 

5. 

PREPARATION OF GALILEO APPLICATIONS 

GALILEO  is  a  magnificent  showcase  for  European  know-how  and  research.  For  almost  10 
years,  scientists  and  industry  in  Europe  have  been  working  on  this  project,  which  will 
guarantee  European  independence  in  a  key  sector.  Research  has  focused  not  only  on  the 
technology needed to get the system up and running but also on the “downstream sector”, i.e. 
GALILEO  applications  in  everyday  life,  with  a  view  to  fulfilling  the  expectations  of  the 
public at large as well as the requirements of the widest range of users. 

Work has therefore  primarily concerned  the  use of satellite radionavigation in transport and 
telecommunications,  the  development  of  receivers,  and  projects  to  be  carried  out  in  the 
context  of  international  cooperation.  Efforts  have  also  been  dedicated  to  completing  the 
analysis of the system’s objectives and tasks in relation to activities linked to surveying, time 
management, search and rescue services, etc.  

A final call for proposals, totalling EUR 10 million,  will  cover a number of very promising 
areas  of  application,  such  as  the  transmission  of  warning  messages,  the  transportation  of 
animals, the carriage of dangerous substances, etc. 

The Supervisory Authority is currently working alongside the Commission on specifying the 
projects  to  be  undertaken  under  the  Seventh  Research  and  Development  Framework 
Programme. This work will chiefly concern the future technological developments in satellite 
radionavigation and changes in the requirements expressed by users. 

6. 

DEPLOYMENT OF EGNOS 

EGNOS  (the  “European  Geostationary  Navigation  Overlay  Service”)  uses  and  enhances, 
through three satellites placed in geostationary orbit, the information provided by signals from 
the American GPS and Russian GLONASS satellite constellations. Accurate to within one to 
two  metres,  it  provides  all  satellite  radionavigation  users  with  a  top-quality  navigation  and 
positioning service which is better than any available to date in Europe using GPS alone and 
is close to what GALILEO will be providing in future, in particular in terms of providing an 
integrity message. It will, however, be dependent on the GPS system. 

The  development  of  EGNOS  stems  from  a  tripartite  agreement  between  the  European 
Community,  the  European  Space  Agency  and  Eurocontrol.  EGNOS  has  been  selected  as  a 

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trans-European  network  (TEN)  project.  In  this  context,  the  European  Community  has 
provided  EUR  143 million  from  the  budget  line  for  the  trans-European  networks.  The 
European Space Agency as well as State authorities and enterprises active in the field of civil 
aviation have also made financial contributions to the programme. 

EGNOS,  GALILEO’s  forerunner,  has  enabled  the  European  Union  to  develop  technical 
capability and know-how in the leading-edge field of satellite radionavigation. It adds value to 
the  basic  GPS  system  by  increasing  positioning  accuracy,  enhancing  reception  in  some 
locations and providing the user with information on the reliability of the system. 

Construction of the infrastructure was completed in 2005 and EGNOS successfully passed its 
first Operational Readiness Review in respect of the “open” service. 

EGNOS system receivers are already available on the market and increased use of the “open” 
signals provided by the system has been observed in sectors such as building, precision crop 
management,  land  surveying  and  public  transport  vehicle  fleet  management.  Precision  crop 
management, for instance, involves automatically regulating the distribution of fertiliser in a 
field  according  to  the  precise  position  of  a  tractor.  The  majority  of  GPS  receivers  currently 
sold  throughout  the  world  are  thus  equipped  with  this  EGNOS  function  and  its  American 
counterpart, WAAS. 

Furthermore, work will be carried out in 2006 to ensure that the system is certified vis-à-vis 
applications which directly affect the safety of human life, such as civil aviation . One of the 
advantages of EGNOS is precisely the fact that it provides services appropriate to this kind of 
application, something which GPS cannot provide alone since it does not supply the integrity 
message  which  alerts  the  user  in  short  order  if  any  of  the  system  components  fail.  The 
requirements set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) should be met 
in  full  in  this  case.  A  number  of  regional  air  carriers  and  some  aeronautical  manufacturers 
already envisage building EGNOS receivers into their aircraft. Procedures for certification in 
respect of maritime and rail applications will follow in due course. It should be pointed out 
that  the  operations  for  the  certification  of  European  satellite  radionavigation  systems  fall 
within the remit of the Supervisory Authority. 

Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1321/2004 stipulates that the Supervisory Authority 
“shall be the owner of all the tangible and intangible EGNOS assets subject to agreement with 
the EGNOS investors on the terms and conditions on the transfer from ESA of ownership of 
all or part of the EGNOS facilities and equipment.” 

This agreement has been discussed between the parties concerned within a working group for 
which the Galileo Joint Undertaking acted as secretary. A draft agreement has been drawn up. 
As soon as the agreement has been signed by the parties concerned, the Supervisory Authority 
will  be  in  a  position  to  include  EGNOS  in  the  GALILEO  concession  contract,  thereby 
enabling the two systems to be fully integrated. 

The Commission plans to place the GALILEO and EGNOS programmes on the same budget 
line within the Community budget in respect of both the current phases and later phases of the 
programmes. It should be pointed out, however, that the EGNOS and GALILEO programmes 
are  quite  separate  from  the  technical  point  of  view,  since  the  satellites  in  the  two 
constellations are on different orbital planes, for instance, and are in no way interchangeable. 

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7. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  A  POLICY  FOR  ACCESS  TO  THE  PUBLIC 
REGULATED SERVICE (PRS) 

Among  the  five  services  offered  by  GALILEO,  the  Public  Regulated  Service  (PRS,  or 
governmental  service)  is  restricted  to  the  needs  of  State  institutions.  Being  encrypted  and 
resistant to jamming and interference, it is particularly suited to uses which require continuous 
coverage  over  considerable  periods  of  time,  for  instance  in  the  field  of  civil  protection  or 
national  security,  police  or  customs  authority  surveillance,  supervision  of  maritime  or  land 
borders, and action to combat unlawful exports or immigration. 

Access  to  the  PRS  service  is  restricted  for  security  reasons.  Users  are  restricted  by  various 
means, including technical means such as, for instance, the use of encryption keys, procedural 
means,  such  as  the  use  of  security  accreditation,  and  legislative  decisions  e.g.  instructions 
adopted  in  accordance  with  the  Council  Joint  Action.4  In  addition,  different  groups  of  PRS 
users – and there may be many of them – will have different needs, different ways of working 
and different levels of confidentiality. The policy on access to the PRS service must take all 
these factors into account. 

An initial approach to defining the policy was drawn up following work carried out within the 
Galileo Security Board (GSB). This involved specifying the objectives of PRS access policy 
and identifying the phases of implementation of the policy.  

Technical preparations will continue in order to allow the Member States intending to make 
use of PRS to, on the one hand, define the national needs in terms of using this service and, on 
the other, to designate an authority responsible for overseeing national users. This authority 
will liaise with the Supervisory Authority. 

The Supervisory Authority will draw up “Guidelines for implementing PRS management rules 
in the Member States”, “Common minimum standards for the use and management of PRS “ 
and “Specifications and instructions for the construction of PRS receivers”. These documents 
may be revised according to the national needs expressed by Member States. 

At the end of this first stage, by the end of 2006, the Commission will propose a plan to the 
Council  concerning  the  implementation  of  PRS  access  policy,  defining  the  technical  and 
decision-making mechanisms to be set in place in good time for it to be possible to start using 
the PRS as of the end of 2010. 

8. 

PROMOTION  OF  SATELLITE  RADIONAVIGATION  BY  COMMUNITY 
LEGISLATION 

Several  items  of  European  legislation  have  already  introduced  the  use  of  satellite 
radionavigation into various sectors with a view to helping ensure that this new technology is 
economically viable.  

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Council  Joint  Action  2004/552/CFSP  of  12  July  2004  on  aspects  of  the  operation  of  the  European 
satellite radionavigation system affecting the security of the European Union. 

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•  Directive  2002/59/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  27 June  2002 

establishing a Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system5. 

•  Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No 2244/2003  of  18 December  2003  laying  down  detailed 

provisions regarding satellite-based Vessel Monitoring Systems6. 

•  Directive 2004/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on 

the interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the Community7. 

•  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No 1/2005  of  22 December  2004  on  the  protection  of  animals 

during transport and related operations8. 

•  Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 
on harmonised river information services (RIS) on inland waterways in the Community9. 

•  Commission  Recommendation  of  25  July  2003  on  the  processing  of  caller  location 
information  in  electronic  communication  networks  for  the  purpose  of  location-enhanced 
emergency call services (E112 services)10. 

Satellite radionavigation may usefully be regarded as a basic tool. In the near future, it could 
come  to  the  fore  in  the  areas  of  combating  fraud,  civil  protection,  judicial  supervision  and 
road  safety.  Moreover,  recommendations  on  using  the  technology  will  be  sent  to  the 
authorities  in  charge  of  the  rail,  sea  and  air  transport  sectors.  Specific  analyses  will  also  be 
carried out in relation to the nuclear industry, from the transportation of fissile material to the 
treatment of waste. 

An internal Commission group will therefore be set up in the near future to survey the satellite 
radionavigation needs of European policies and in order to facilitate exchanges of information 
on the technical development of the system. 

The  Commission  will  also  present  a  Green  Paper  on  GALILEO  applications  at  the  end  of 
2006. 

9. 

FINANCING THE PROGRAMME 

On 14 July 2004, the Commission proposed a European Parliament and Council Regulation 
on financing the deployment and commercial operating phases of the GALILEO programme 
during the period covered by the 2007-2013 financial framework. This proposal ensures the 
programme  is  placed  on  a  specific  legal  basis  which  is  consistent  with  the  future  European 
space programme and best able to meet the requirement for sound financial management.  

On  21 April  2005,  in  the  context  of  a  partial  general  approach,  the  Council  accepted  the 
legislative  proposal  in  question,  except  for  the  budget  section.  The  main  amendment 

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OJ L 208, 5.8.2002, p. 10. 
OJ L 333, 20.12.2003, p. 17. 
OJ L 166, 30.4.2004, p. 124. 
OJ L 3, 5.1.2005, p. 1. 
OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 152. 
OJ L 189, 29.7.2003, p. 49. 

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introduced  by  the  Council  concerns  the  inclusion  of  EGNOS  in  the  Regulation;  the 
Commission can accept this. Parliament also endorsed the proposal at its plenary session of 
5 September 2005. The Council and Parliament positions are very similar and are acceptable 
to the Commission.  

The  text  cannot  be  definitively  adopted  until  the  main  terms  of  the  concession  contract  are 
fixed. The Commission proposal of 14 July 2004 mentioned a financial contribution from the 
European Community of EUR 1 billion. The proposal was amended in May 2006. The exact 
final amounts for the entire concession period will depend on the arrangements for sharing the 
risks  and  financial  burdens,  which  are  the  subject  of  the  concession  contract,  and  the 
instruments identified to cover them. With the assistance of the European Investment Bank, 
the Commission is currently drafting proposals on this point. 

10. 

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 

International  cooperation  is  an  essential  component  of  the  GALILEO  programme,  whose 
30-satellite constellation is designed for worldwide use. Cooperation agreements were signed 
with  China  on  30 October  2003  and  with  Israel  on  13 July  2004.  Similar  agreements  were 
initialled  with  Ukraine  on  3 June  2005,  with  India  on  7 September  2005,  with  Morocco  on 
8 November  2005  and  with  South  Korea  on 12  January  2006.  Further  agreements  are  being 
drawn  up  with  Norway  and  Argentina  on  the  basis  of  mandates  adopted  by  the  Council  on 
18 July 2005. Discussions are under way with Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia 
and  Brazil.  Russian  recently  reaffirmed  its  interest  in  continuing  discussions  with  the 
European Union. 

The total interoperability of European and American systems has been guaranteed thanks to 
the  agreement  signed  with  the  United  States  on  26 June  2004.  Work  carried  out  under  this 
agreement  is  currently  focusing  on  signal  optimisation  with  a  view  to  enhancing  the 
performance available to users of both GALILEO and GPS systems. 

At this stage, the emphasis is on determining the scope and the arrangements for cooperation 
with  third  countries  in  future  phases  of  the  GALILEO  programme,  including  at  the 
institutional level, and taking account of obligations connected with intellectual property and 
the protection of dual-use technology. Before the end of 2006, the Commission will request 
the  Council  to  approve  mandates  enabling  it  to  start  negotiations  with  the  third  countries 
concerned. 

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ANNEX 1 

PHASES OF THE GALILEO PROGRAMME 

The GALILEO programme consists of three phases. 

(1) 

Development and validation phase 

•  Research  phase  covering  the  development  of  the  satellites  and  the  system’s  ground 

components, as well as validation in orbit 

This phase continues until the beginning of 2009. 

The  cost  of  this  phase,  half  of  which  is  borne  by  the  European  Union  and  half  by  the 
European Space Agency, amount to a total of EUR 1 500 million. 

Until  31 December  2006,  this  phase  is  managed  by  the  Galileo  Joint  Undertaking.  After 
1 January 2007, the European GNSS Supervisory Authority takes over from the Galileo Joint 
Undertaking and completes the implementation of this phase. 

(2) 

Deployment phase 

•  Phase  covering  the  manufacture  and  launch  of  the  satellites  in  the  constellation  and  the 

installation of all ground components 

This phase covers the years 2009 and 2010. 

(3) 

Commercial operating phase 

•  Phase covering the period of operation, particularly commercial operation, of the system 

This phase effectively commences at the end of 2010. 

The deployment and commercial operating phases are covered by a concession for a period of 
approximately 20 years. The Supervisory Authority will be the licensing authority. 

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ANNEX 2 

UPDATED TIMETABLE FOR THE PROGRAMME 

•  November-December 2006: end of concession contract negotiations. 

•  December 2006: the European Parliament and the Council will be informed of the outcome 

of the concession contract negotiations. 

•  During 2007: conclusion and signature of the concession contract. 

•  Mid-2006:  the  Supervisory  Authority  will  officially  announce  the  availability  of  the  full 

EGNOS service. 

•  During  2006:  gradual  handover  from  the  Galileo  Joint  Undertaking  to  the  Supervisory 

Authority. 

•  Autumn 2006: launch of the second experimental satellite. 

•  Autumn 2006: submission to the Council of the mandates enabling the Commission to start 
negotiations  with  third  countries  to  specify  arrangements  for  their  participation  in  later 
phases of the programme. 

•  End 2006 – beginning of 2007: a Green Paper on GALILEO applications will be presented 

to the European Parliament and the Council. 

•  2008-2010: launch of the total constellation of 30 satellites, completion of the construction 
of  the  ground-based  stations  and  the  start  of  commercial  operation  of  the  system  and  its 
applications. 

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