92002E3919

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3919/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject: European satellite agency

At a meeting between the President of the Lazio Region, Francesco Storace, and the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi, in Brussels a few days Rome was once again put forward as a candidate for the seat of the European satellite agency.

Mr Prodi stressed that the criterion of unanimity risked paralysing the process of choosing the location of agencies, including the food and satellite agencies, and emphasised that despite the complexity of the situation the Commission would make every endeavour to reach a decision.

Although these statements were very general and wide-ranging they reveal some sort of commitment on the part of the Commission and suggest that the issue is on the way to being settled.

However, this conclusion is not confirmed by the answer to Question P-1940/02(1) of 26 June 2002, given by Mrs Palacio on behalf of the Commission. To the questions concerning the desirability of making Rome the seat of the future satellite agency Mrs Palacio replied no decision has been taken as to the possible setting-up of a European multimodal satellite navigation agency. Consequently, its location, resources and the number of people which it would employ are of course unknown.

In view of this, can the Commission say:

1. how the Galileo programme will be developed;

2. how the two contradictory statements are to be interpreted;

3. what the Commission's position is on the subject?

(1) OJ C 301 E, 5.12.2002, p. 249.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2003)

During its development phase, which will last until 2005, the Galileo satellite radionavigation programme will be run by the Galileo Joint Undertaking, whose statutes, adopted by the Council in May 2002, locate its seat in Brussels.

Once the joint undertaking is dissolved, the private entity holding the Galileo concession will take over responsibility for the system's deployment and operational phases. It will be for that entity to decide, according to its own criteria (efficiency, cost, etc.) where to set up its company head office and operations centre(s).

During the second half of 2003, the Commission will be sending the Council and Parliament a proposal for the establishment of a public structure, whose seat has of course yet to be determined, to be the granting authority in respect of the concession holder.

In view of the foregoing, and given that no proposal or decision exists regarding the creation of a multimodal satellite navigation centre, the statements by the Commission President and the answer by the Commission Vice-President responsible for transport and energy, to which the Honourable Member refers, are in no way contradictory.