Galilelo. Image courtesy ESAThe €4 billion project was due to be up and running by 2012, but the public private consortium that was supposed to be financing it has fallen apart in arguments over who pays what.
Transport ministers meeting in Luxembourg unanimously agreed to fund the project, saying that trying to resurrect the public private partnership would mean further delays and higher bills.
The German Council President, Wolfgang Tiefenseem, chairing the meeting, said, “We are giving Galileo a new direction on its way to implementation. With Galileo as a pillar of European space policy, we are underscoring Europe’s efforts in the fields of space travel, advanced technology and innovation and ensuring European independence in this cutting-edge field.”
The European Commission will now draw up concrete funding proposals and a new procurement strategy before the final decision – scheduled for autumn 2007 – on the continuation of the project is taken.
“The Council and the Commission now have a reference framework for the future course of action in the implementation of Galileo, on which a decision is to be taken this autumn. I am optimistic that we will then create a good basis for avoiding further delays and keeping the financial burden on the public sector within limits,” said Tiefensee.
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