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Summaries of EU Legislation

Safe air navigation: Contributing to a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)

 

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement between the European Community, the European Space Agency and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation on a European contribution to the development of a global navigation satellite system

Decision 98/434/EC concerning the Agreement between the European Community, the European Space Agency and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation on a European contribution to the development of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND OF THE DECISION?

KEY POINTS

Studies on navigation by satellite are evolving and have reached a sufficient degree of maturity for a European contribution to a global navigation satellite system to be created independent of other means of radio navigation and positioning, thereby allowing greater involvement of European industry in this field, including through projects such as Europe's 2 satellite navigation systems, Galileo and EGNOS*, as well as GNSS Market.

The agreement covers:

  • developing operational capability for a European contribution to GNSS 1*, using existing satellite systems and any appropriate augmentation of these systems;
  • coordination to achieve full operational capability for GNSS 1;
  • parallel preparatory work on GNSS 2*.

The parties agree to the following:

A Joint Tripartite Committee meets at least yearly to monitor implementation, formulate guidelines and coordinate common approaches to achieving the terms of the agreement. The EU is represented by the European Commission.

Each party must:

  • share all the necessary information at its disposal;
  • not disclose any exchanged information to any person other than those employed by it or officially entitled to handle such information;
  • not use such information for commercial purposes.

In addition, the agreement:

  • outlines the property rights of the three organisations, who undertake to make the necessary financial arrangements to implement the agreement;
  • sets up a liability mechanism for activities undertaken under the agreement;
  • obliges public relations activities to be coordinated between the parties, with roles clearly identified;
  • may only be amended by unanimous written agreement;
  • is open to the participation of relevant third parties.

Disputes between the parties may be:

  • submitted to the Joint Tripartite Committee for direct negotiation; or
  • settled by 5 arbitrators, 3 appointed by the parties and 2 by the committee.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 18 June 1998.

BACKGROUND

See also:

KEY TERMS

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS): a worldwide satellite-based system to determine position, velocity, and time, designed to permanently meet potential user requirements for civil applications.
European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service(EGNOS): European augmentation of existing satellite navigation and positioning systems, using geostationary satellites (i.e. satellites appearing to be stationary above a certain point on earth) with the aim of enhancing their performance in the skies over Europe and providing capability over the whole geostationary broadcast areas. EGNOS is a European component of GNSS 1.
GNSS 1: an initial implementation of GNSS, based upon the existing US and Russian military satellite navigation systems, augmented by civil systems, designed to provide the user with sufficient independent monitoring of the whole system.
GNSS 2: a worldwide civil navigation satellite system to be internationally controlled and managed, which meets the requirements of all categories of users to determine position, velocity and time.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement between the European Community, the European Space Agency and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation on a European Contribution to the development of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) (OJ L 194, 10.7.1998, pp. 16-24)

Council Decision 98/434/EC of 18 June 1998 concerning the Agreement between the European Community, the European Space Agency and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation on a European contribution to the development of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) (OJ L 194, 10.7.1998, p. 15)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) No 1285/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the implementation and exploitation of European satellite navigation systems and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 876/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 683/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, pp. 1-24)

Regulation (EU) No 912/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 setting up the European GNSS Agency, repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1321/2004 on the establishment of structures for the management of the European satellite radio navigation programmes and amending Regulation (EC) No 683/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 276, 20.10.2010, pp. 11-21)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 912/2010 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

last update 10.09.2020

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