COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 19 December 1994 on the European contribution to the development of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) (94/C 379/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Whereas the setting-up of a Global Navigation Satellite System for civil use will contribute to the attainment of important Community objectives, such as the completion of the internal market and the strengthening of economic and social cohesion;

Whereas the setting-up and development of a satellite navigation system are also aimed at improving the long-term and sustainable mobility of people and goods throughout Europe and transport safety;

Whereas the White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment envisages the need for European action in the field of satellite positioning and navigation;

Whereas the European Community contributes to setting-up and developing trans-European networks in the fields of transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructure in accordance with Article 129 (b) of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

Whereas the European Council, at its Corfu meeting, expressed the view that it is primarily up to the private sector to respond to the challenges in the field of information technology and to take the necessary initiatives, in particular as regards financing; whereas the European Union and its Member States are called upon to give political impetus, and to provide a clear and sound regulatory framework, and to promote by appropriate means transport projects within the framework of the information society;

Whereas, in order to attain these objectives, Community guidance is necessary, while complying with the principle of subsidiarity,

In the expectation that action by the European Union will make it possible to raise European industry to a level of competitiveness enabling it to participate in the deployment of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and in the market for user devices,

WELCOMES the fact that the Commission has submitted a communication on the European contribution to the development of a Global Navigation Satellite System and the setting-up of a high-level coordinating group composed of representatives of national governments, users, telecommunications operators, the relevant international organizations, particularly the European Space Agency, ICAO and Eurocontrol, and industry, with the task of ensuring that activities undertaken in Europe in the satellite navigation field tend towards the same end and, in particular, to assist the Commission in the tasks defined below;

RECALLS

- its Resolution on the situation of European civil aviation (1),

- its Resolution on telematics in the transport sector (2),

- its conclusions, drawn up on 28 September 1994, on 'Europe's way to the Information Society - an Action Plan',

- that the Community, within its specific research programmes, could contribute to the development of a Global Navigation Satellite System in accordance with Article 130f of the Treaty;

INVITES the Commission

1. to define the requirements of all potential users and describe the resulting possibilities;

2. to initiate or support work on the development and implementation of a European complement to existing systems using Inmarsat III satellites and any other augmentation technology required (GNSS 1);

3. to initiate and support, in parallel with GNSS 1 activities, the preparatory work needed for the design and organization of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS 2) for civil use, which should be compatible with GNSS 1 and should be operated according to international guidelines on an independent and, if possible, private-enterprise basis, in order to make it possible to use the results of GNSS 1 research and development work immediately;

4. to examine the possibilities of contributing to the necessary resources and to examine the potential for private-sector financing of these activities, taking into account a thorough cost-benefit evaluation;

5. to submit a draft programme indicating the different stages, taking into account national programmes, for the introduction of a Global Navigation Satellite System for civil use;

6. to take account of current developments in Europe including the pending determination of a plan for the implementation of the CNS/ATM concept of ICAO, in the context of its activities and to seek a concerted approach, in order to avoid duplication of effort in relation to ICAO and IMO and allow a European component of the Global Navigation Satellite System to be contributed without delay;

7. in respect of all the abovementioned actions, to cooperate closely with all relevant organizations, in particular with ICAO, IMO, Eurocontrol, the European Space Agency, the telecommunications operators and Eumetsat;

8. to update its programme regularly if necessary and to keep the Council informed of its activities concerning the schedule for proposals to be submitted to the Council, taking into consideration the development of the Global Navigation Satellite System as an ongoing process which will have to be adapted periodically, and therefore undertakes to return to the subject regularly;

INVITES the Member States to take appropriate measures for participation in the European contribution to satellite navigation systems, and to adopt, where possible and appropriate, a common approach, particularly within international organizations and in relation to non-Member States.

(1) OJ No C 309, 5. 11. 1994, p. 2.

(2) OJ No C 309, 5. 11. 1994, p. 1.