EU–South Korea cooperation agreement on a civil global navigation satellite system (GNSS)

SUMMARY OF:

Cooperation agreement on a civil GNSS between the European Community and Korea

Decision 2006/700/EC on the signing, on behalf of the European Community and its Member States, of the Cooperation Agreement on a civil GNSS with Korea

Decision (EU) 2016/944 on the conclusion of the Cooperation Agreement on a civil GNSS between the European Community and Korea

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISIONS?

The agreement aims to encourage, facilitate and enhance cooperation between the European Union (EU) and South Korea in civil global satellite navigation, both parties playing their part in a civil global navigation satellite system (GNSS).
Decision 2006/700/EC approves the signing of the agreement on behalf of the EU.
Decision (EU) 2016/944 marks the conclusion of the agreement.

KEY POINTS

Principles of cooperation

The EU and South Korea agree to apply these principles to their GNSS cooperation:

mutual benefit based on a balance of rights, obligations and each other’s contributions;
partnership in the Galileo programme;
cooperating reciprocally on civil GNSS projects;
sharing information that could affect cooperation;
protecting intellectual property rights;
freedom to provide satellite navigation services in the territories of both parties;
free trade in GNSS equipment in the territories of both parties.

Scope of cooperation

The parties agree to cooperate in the following sectors:

radio spectrum, protecting the radio navigation spectrum from disruption and interference;
scientific research and training, promoting joint research activities contributing to the planning of future GNSS developments;
industrial cooperation, including joint ventures, cross-participation, a joint advisory group, protecting intellectual property rights, and provisions for sensitive items and technologies;
trade and market development, including encouraging trade and investment in European and Korean satellite navigation infrastructure, equipment, Galileo local elements and applications and raising public awareness concerning the Galileo programme;
standards, certification and regulation, emphasising Galileo’s interoperability with other GNSS systems and promoting its innovative use for open, commercial and safety-of-life purposes as a worldwide navigation and timing standard;
augmentations, including working to implement a ground regional augmentation system based on the Galileo system in South Korea, and generally enabling performance enhancements such as increased accuracy, availability, integrity and reliability;
security, including protecting systems against misuse, interference, disruption and hostile acts and ensuring the security of the Galileo system and services, setting up an appropriate consultation channel;
liability and cost recovery, cooperating to define and implement a liability regime and cost-recovery arrangements.

Steering committee and funding

The parties set up a GNSS Steering Committee to manage the agreement, establishing its own rules of procedure based on mutual consensus. Each party bears the costs of fulfilling its respective responsibilities under the agreement, unless agreed otherwise.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 1 July 2016.

A protocol was approved by Decision (EU) 2023/750, bringing Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania into the agreement following their accession to the EU.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

What is GNSS? (EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA))
Galileo is the European global satellite-based navigation system (EUSPA)
The EU space programme (EUSPA)
Galileo (European Space Agency)
The future of positioning, navigation & timing (European Space Agency).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Cooperation agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part (OJ L 288, 19.10.2006, pp. 31–42).

Council Decision 2006/700/EC of 1 September 2006 on the signing, on behalf of the Community, of the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part (OJ L 288, 19.10.2006, p. 30).

Council Decision (EU) 2016/944 of 6 June 2016 on the conclusion of the Cooperation Agreement on a Civil Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) between the European Community and its Member States of the one part, and the Republic of Korea, of the other part (OJ L 157, 15.6.2016, pp. 19–20).

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