The Galileo name first appeared in the Communication of the Commission from February 1999. Since then, the programme has been on its way towards full operational capacity. Eighteen satellites are already in orbit and a further 12 will be launched by 2020. The Financing Decisions for the programme were taken by the European Council in the early 2000s.

The definition phase, development, and In-Orbit Validation phase of the Galileo Programme were carried out by the European Space Agency (ESA) and co-funded by the ESA and the EU.

The Full Operational Capability phase of the Galileo Programme is fully funded by the EU and managed by the European Commission. The Commission and the ESA have signed a delegation agreement by which ESA acts as the design and procurement agent on behalf of the Commission.

Space matters to all of us in Europe. Daily life depends on the technologies, services and data that space helps to deliver. Europe’s space industry is strong and competitive, and it creates jobs. Copernicus is already one of the world’s leading providers of Earth observation data. Galileo, our own global satellite navigation system, will soon provide more accurate and reliable positioning and timing information. And we want to help all the new start-ups who see space as their next frontier by making it easier for them to access and use space data. Today, we want to ensure that European citizens get the best value for every euro we spend.

Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič said: “The European Union is a key player in space policy. We want to build on that and use this leadership role strategically to create jobs and growth and deliver on our common policy priorities: security, climate change, transport, data economy, management of natural disasters. Read more…

The European Parliament adopted a report on Space capabilities for European security and defence drafted by MEP Bogdan Zdrojewski. The document underlines the possibilities that have been gained by the Member States thanks to the EU programs, Copernicus and Galileo, in the areas of adequate positioning, border monitoring, air and maritime travel control, as well as the analysis of climate change.

“Positioning services and Earth observation capabilities, offered by the EU programs, Galileo and Copernicus respectively, should be used in order to assure the security of EU citizens” Read more…