Growing Galileo : GNSS research and development under the Seventh Framework Programme.
Date: 2007-11-13
Institutions: European GNSS Agency
Subjects: EU programme, new technology, research and development, research programme, satellite navigation

Growing GALILEO

GNSS Research and Development
under the Seventh Framework Programme

European GNSS Supervisory Authority

1

©
P
h
o
v
o
i
r

2

 
The Seventh Research Framework Programme: 
Setting a new standard 
in European research

Cooperation

The  Cooperation  Programme  is  the  core  of  FP7, 
representing two thirds of the overall budget. It supports 
collaborative research projects by transnational consortia 
of  industry  and  academia.  Research  is  conducted  under 
the following themes:

• Health

• Food, agriculture and ﬁsheries and biotechnology

•

Information and communication technologies

• Nanosciences,  nanotechnologies,  materials  and  new 

production technologies

• Energy

• Environment (including climate change)

• Transport (including aeronautics)

• Socio-economic sciences and the humanities

• Space

For more information on FP7 participation, go to: 
www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7

The  7th  Framework  Programme 
for  research  and  technological 
development (FP7) is the European 
for 
Union’s  main 
funding  research  in  Europe.  FP7, 
which will run from 2007 to 2013, 
is the natural successor to the 6th 
Framework Programme (FP6), and is the result of years 
of  consultation  with  industry,  the  scientiﬁc  community, 
research  and  policymaking 
institutions,  and  other 
interested parties.

instrument 

Since their launch in 1984, the EU framework programmes 
have played a lead role in multidisciplinary research and 
cooperative activities in Europe and beyond. FP7 continues 
this task, and is both larger and more comprehensive than 
earlier framework programmes. FP7 has a budget of more 
than EUR 50 billion over its seven-year lifespan, the largest 
funding allocation yet for such programmes.

FP7  brings  all  research-related  EU  initiatives  together 
under  a  single  programme,  playing  a  crucial  role  in 
reaching the Union’s goals of growth, competitiveness and 
employment. It is a key pillar for the European research 
area  (ERA),  along  with  a  new  Competitiveness  and 
Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), education and 
training programmes, and Structural and Cohesion Funds 
for regional convergence and competitiveness.

The  funds  are  used  to  ﬁnance  research,  technological 
development  and  demonstration  projects.  Grants  are 
determined on the basis of calls for proposals and peer 
review. 

FP7 has two main strategic objectives:

•

•

to strengthen the scientiﬁc and technological base of 
European industry;

to  encourage  Europe’s  international  competitiveness, 
while promoting research that supports EU policies.

FP7 research is grouped into four programme categories:

• Cooperation

•

Ideas

• People

• Capacities

Each category covers speciﬁc programmes corresponding 
to the main areas of EU research.  All speciﬁc programmes 
work together to promote and encourage the creation of 
European poles of scientiﬁc and technological excellence.

©
B
r
a
n
d
X
P
c
t
u
r
e
s

i

3

 
 
 
Galileo and EGNOS in FP7
Bringing European GNSS one step closer to reality

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) research and 
development  activities,  namely  focusing  on  Galileo  and 
EGNOS, are addressed under the transport theme of the 
cooperation programme.

GNSS  research  and  develop-
ment activities in FP7 are man-
aged  by  the  European  GNSS 
Supervisory Authority (GSA). 

The GSA coordinates its activi-
ties  with  the  European  Space 
Agency and takes into account 
other  European  Commission 
activities  with  potential  syner-
gies  in  applications  and  pro-
grammes  (e.g.  telecommunica-
tions). In addition, FP7 research 
is  coordinated  with  national 
GNSS R & D activities.

The objective of the transport theme is to develop safer, 
greener and smarter pan-European transport systems. It 
aims to mitigate the negative impacts of increased mobility 
in relation to the environment, energy usage, safety and 
public health.

The Transport Programme gives emphasis to the following 
activities.

Aeronautics and air transport: 

• reduction of emissions, work on engines and alternative 

fuels;

• air-trafﬁc management, safety aspects of air transport; 

• environmentally efﬁcient aviation. 

Sustainable surface transport 
— rail, road and waterborne: 

• development of clean and efﬁcient engines and power 

trains;

• reducing the impact of transport on climate change;

•

inter-modal regional and national transport;

• clean and safe vehicles;

•

infrastructure construction and maintenance, 
integrative architectures. 

Support to the European 
global satellite navigation system:

• Galileo and EGNOS;

• navigation and timing services;

• efﬁcient use of satellite navigation.

©
P
h
o
v
o
i
r

4

 
©
E
S
A

/

J
.

H
u
a
r
t

Four main research activities have been 
selected for the Galileo sub-theme

Exploiting the full potential

FP7 will encourage the development of GNSS downstream applications. This will drive demand and pave the way for 
rapid Galileo adoption. In the short term, applications should take advantage of EGNOS which is already available.

Providing the tools and creating the appropriate environment 

This research area will improve and complement existing GNSS tools. A particular focus is on the development of 
tools/test beds to support design, development and simulations for performance trade-offs of multi-function, hybridised 
terminals.  In  order  to  provide  the  right  environment,  enablers  such  as  standardisation  and  certiﬁcation  will  be 
addressed.

Adapting receivers to requirements and upgrading core technologies

By  driving  the  development  and  technologies  of  GNSS  receivers,  customised  user  terminals  and  local  elements, 
performance can be enhanced.

Support and international activities

This covers activities that support mission evolution and studies supporting various strategic aspects. Also included in 
the area are activities that foster international relations and cooperation in the ﬁeld of GNSS.

GNSS Research 

5

 
 
 
 
©
P
h
o
v
o
i
r

Applications

The success of Galileo depends on its market penetration 
in  a  wide  range  of  GNSS  applications  and  services. The 
business  potential  generated  by  these  applications  will 
attract private-sector investment.

FP7  invests  in  the  development  of  applications  with 
wide  public  interest.  It  aims  to  improve  the  quality  or 
the efﬁciency of public services across the EU. Research 
activities  will  also  support  the  development  of  other 
GNSS applications, taking into account:

•

•

the  expected  impact  in  terms  of  market  penetration 
and economic value created;

the  natural  positioning  of  public  funds  in  applications 
with high potential and high risk, less prone to attract 
private investment;

• an  adequate  balance  of  risks  in  the  portfolio  of  FP7 

projects.

Coordinated Approach

The  GSA  coordinates  its  activities  with  the  European 
Space Agency (ESA) to ensure an efﬁcient complementarity 
of  their  respective  R&D  programmes,  aiming  at  the 
competitiveness and  use  of  European  GNSS,  as  well  as 
the competitiveness of European industry.

Strategic Objectives

GNSS Research and development activities under FP7 are 
based on some key principles. 

• Create  economic  value  for  Europe  —  generating  a 
return for the public sector, industry, SMEs, users, etc.

• Ensure  European  GNSS  system  competitiveness 
—  helping  EGNOS/Galileo  become  GNSS  market 
leaders.

• Maximise  public  beneﬁts  — 

the 
development  of  applications  that  improve  the  quality 
and  the  efﬁciency  of  public  services  and  the  use  of 
public resources.

supporting 

• Enhance  international  relations  —  involving  inter-
national partners in European GNSS projects, increasing 
trade and resulting in wider international cooperation.

©
P
h
o
v
o
i
r

GNSS  research  activities  will  take  into  account  other 
European  Commission  (EC)  activities  with  potential 
synergies in terms of applications and systems, including, 
for example, the global monitoring for environment and 
security  (GMES)  and  EU  satellite  telecommunications 
programmes.  Ongoing  coordination  with  other  EC 
programmes,  namely  those  managed  by  the  Research, 
Information Society and Energy and Transport Directorate-
Generals, will also be maintained.

Because  of  the  global  scope  of  Galileo  and  EGNOS, 
international partners have been involved in the process, 
mainly  in  the  development  of  applications  and  in  the 
evolution of the system.

6

 
 
Spotlight on SMEs

SMEs play an important role in the innovation process 
by  developing  new  visions  and  focusing  research 
efforts. They  have  the  ability  to  efﬁciently  convert 
research results into business assets.

It is therefore necessary to expand the involvement 
of  SMEs  in  the  GNSS  innovation  processes  and  in 
implementing GNSS research activities. 

The  GNSS  research  programme  is  tailored  to 
provide  opportunities  for  SMEs  to  ﬁnance  early-
stage  research  and  prototype  developments,  and  to 
establish strategic partnerships. 

The GSA also is creating new tools to provide wide 
support to SMEs willing to invest in GNSS applications, 
such  as  dedicated  advisory  services,  networking 
opportunities and a platform for global visability.

The priorities and objectives of FP7 GNSS research 
takes  into  account  the  special  needs  of  SMEs. They 
form  an  important  part  of  the  GNSS  research 
consortia together with industry, national institutions, 
universities and public research entities.

Information 
and Assistance

National contact points 
(NCPs) have been set up 
to give personalised 
advice to researchers and 
organisations intending to 
participate. Contact your 
NCP by phone, fax or 
e-mail in your national 
language, and explain 
your situation and your ideas. 

The details of your national 
contact point can be found at: 

FP6 — laying 
the groundwork

With FP7, the GSA aims to build upon the successful 
results  of  Galileo  research  and  development 
activities under FP6. 

Activities  covered 
following.

First call:

in  each  call 

included  the 

• preliminary user receiver development;

•

•

local elements core technology development;

introduction of Galileo services using EGNOS;

• application market development;

•

initial mission implementation activities.

Second call:

• early preparation of market penetration;

• optimisation  of  the  Galileo  navigation  mission 
and the complementary non-navigation missions;

•

the beneﬁts of combined use of Galileo and GPS 
services;

• support for European industry in key technological 

developments;

•

•

the involvement of SMEs to underpin innovation;

the recognition of the international dimension of 
Galileo.

©
P
h
o
v
o
i
r

Third call:

•

tracking and tracing;

• crisis management;

•

time and synchronisation;

• utilisation of the PRS;

• completion of GNSS signal simulator for receiver 

testing.

For more information on GNSS research 
funded under the 6th Framework 
Programme, go to: 

http://www.gsa.europa.eu/go/randd/fp6

www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7/get-support_en.html

For more speciﬁc information on GNSS research under 
FP7, contact the GSA at: 

research@gsa.europa.eu

or consult the GSA website: www.gsa.europa.eu

FP7 GNSS research call documents can be found at: 

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/calls

7

 
T
S
-
7
8
-
0
7
-
1
3
8
-
E
N
C

-

©
E
S
A

/

J
.

H
u
a
r
t

European GNSS Supervisory Authority: 
Dedicated to making Galileo happen

European GNSS Supervisory Authority 
Rue de la Loi, 56 
1049 Brussels, Belgium

Tel.: (32-2) 297 16 16
Fax: (32-2) 296 72 38
Email: info@gsa.europa.eu
www.gsa.europa.eu

By  developing  a  new  generation  of  global 
navigation  satellite  systems  (GNSS),  Europe  is 
opening  new  doors  for  high-technology  industry 
development, job creation and economic growth. 
With  Europe  in  the  driving  seat,  Galileo  has  the 
potential to become a cornerstone of the global 
radio navigation positioning system of the future.

Given  the  strategic  nature  of  European  satellite 
positioning  and  navigation  programmes  (which 
include both EGNOS and Galileo) and the need to 
ensure that essential public interests in this ﬁeld 
are  adequately  defended  and  represented,  the 
European  GNSS  Supervisory  Authority  (GSA) 
was established to manage the public interests and 
to  be  the  regulatory  authority  for  the  European 
GNSS programmes, while laying the foundations 
for  a  fully  sustainable  and  economically  viable 
system.

ISBN 978-92-9206-005-3