11 EUROPEAN SATELLITE CENTRE
(30976)
13224/09
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| Council Joint Action amending Joint Action 2001/555/CFSP on the establishment of a European Union Satellite Centre
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| Legal base | Article 14 EU; unanimity
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Date deposited | 7 October 2009
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 19 October 2009
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| Previous Committee Report | None; but see (28082) —: HC 16-xxviii (2007-08), chapter 9 (22 July 2008) and HC 41-iii (2006-07), chapter 18 (6 December 2006)
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| Discussed in Council | To be determined
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
11.1 Established by a Council Joint Action on 20 July 2001, the
European Union Satellite Centre purchases imagery from commercial
sources and also receives some images from space assets owned
by EU nations. The data is analysed and used to support assessments
required for Council CFSP discussions and ESDP operations.
11.2 Based in Torrejon, near Madrid, it is funded
by Member States according to a gross national income scale. Member
States exercise political supervision, including setting its priorities
and budget, while the Secretary General/High Representative (SG/HR)
and his staff provide operational direction.[48]
11.3 In 2006, the then Committee considered an Explanatory
Memorandum from the then Minister for Europe at the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (Mr Geoffrey Hoon) concerning a "five-year
review" report by the SG/HR (which he enclosed with his EM)
containing "a number of practical recommendations intended
to improve the running of the Centre and clarify its role",
which were incorporated in a revised Joint Action:
— Mission:
supporting ESDP operations was already being performed by the
Centre but a specific reference was being added to the mission
statement for clarity;
— Budget: The original Joint Action
required the budget to be set annually. The Centre would now have
a Financial Framework agreed by the Council every three years,
allowing it to plan its expenditure further in advance. Annual
budgets would be approved by the Board within the constraints
of this Framework;
— Deputy Director: Term limits had
been set at a maximum of two three year terms;
— Association with the Commission:
A new article, Article 20a, had been inserted to ensure that the
EUSC "can benefit from the EU-wide expertise available in
these areas while avoiding duplicating activities carried out
elsewhere in the EU". The Minister mentioned in particular
the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).
11.4 The then Minister strongly supported the Centre's
work, particularly its capacity to provide imagery and analysis
that can be supplied to all Member States for CFSP discussions
without the normal difficulties associated with sharing classified
national material with a wider audience. In addition the Centre's
work was frequently complementary to, and supported, work in this
area undertaken by the UK military. The UK's annual contribution
was approximately 17% of the then budget, or £1.2 million
at then exchange rates. The proposals would result in practical
improvements to the running of the Centre. He strongly supported
the addition of an article relating to the Commission into the
Joint Action "to prevent duplication of work being done elsewhere".
11.5 For our part, we noted that the Joint Research
Centre had been integral part of the European Commission since
its creation in 1957: a Directorate-General of the European Commission
under the responsibility the European Commissioner for Research,
whose Board of Governors assisted and advised the Director General
on matters relating to the role and the scientific, technical
and financial management of the JRC, and with a principal task
of providing the Commission and its policy-making Directorates-General,
as well as the Council, European Parliament and Member States,
with independent scientific and technical advice.
11.6 It was therefore not altogether clear to us
how an agency whose primary purpose was the analysis of commercially-provided
satellite imagery for CFSP/ESDP purposes did or could relate to
the work of the JRC, and vice-versa; or how one might encroach
upon the other. But that is what the Article in question and the
Minister's comments thereon suggested, with the implication that,
over the past five years, there had been duplication of activity
and wasteful expenditure that, if unchecked, would continue or
even multiply.
11.7 We had no wish to hold up a Joint Action designed
to improve the effectiveness and economy of the EUSC's operations,
and accordingly cleared it.
11.8 However, we asked the Minister for further information
on what the possible synergies between the EUSC and the JRC were,
and what the areas of actual and potential overlap had been or
could be; and what arrangements were in place to measure the extent
to which the Joint Action's objectives were met, ahead of the
next five-year review.[49]
The then Minister's letter of 13 July 2008
11.9 The then Minister explained that the primary
objective of the JRC is to use the analysis of satellite imagery
in its research work to support EU Commission policy in a number
of areas, for example, measuring deforestation and environmental
monitoring, but was also active in a number of policy areas related
to CFSP/ESDP, such as nuclear security, disaster response and
maritime policy. While this might lead to a limited overlap between
work programmes, the "SatCen" and JRC liaised closely
to "deconflict their work and ensure complementarity where
policy work strands are related."; for example, he said,
the JRC and SatCen worked jointly on providing situational awareness
during the Lebanon crisis of 2006, and were currently working
together on providing situational awareness of the security barrier
and settlements in the West Bank. Looking ahead, he saw "potential
for synergies between SatCen work to support EUFOR Tchad/RCA
and JRC work to support humanitarian work in Darfur."
11.10 With regard to the monitoring the SatCen's
achievement of its objectives, the then Minister said that its
Director reports at least annually, to the Political and Security
Committee to explain the SatCen's annual work programme; and that
the SatCen's Board, consisting of representatives from
Member States and the EU Commission, "also provides political
oversight and guidance on the activities of the SatCen on a regular
basis."
Our assessment
11.11 The growth in the range and geographical spread
of the security challenges facing the European Union, and the
then-ongoing review of the 2003 European Security Strategy, had
led, among other things, to a heightened discussion of the satellite
capacity able to support the prosecution of European Security
and Defence Policy and Common Foreign and Security Policy. We
accordingly reported this further information to the House.[50]
The Joint Action
11.12 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 19 October
2009, the Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (Chris Bryant) explains that on 3 September 2009 the Political
and Security Committee (PSC; the ambassador-level Committee of
senior officials from Member States' permanent representations
in Brussels which is tasked with the direction of Common Foreign
and Security Policy) agreed that all members of NATO should be
entitled to be involved in the Centre's activities and that products
of the Centre resulting from requests by the Council could be
distributed to third States by a decision of the PSC; and that
this Joint Action amends Joint Action 2001/555/CFSP accordingly.
The Government's view
11.13 Recalling that the Centre provides geospatial
products resulting from the analysis of satellite imagery and
collateral data in order to support the operations and missions
of the European Union and its member states, the Minister says
that:
"Allowing all NATO members to become involved
in the EU Satellite Centre and receive related products from it
will enable the US and Canada to be treated the same way as Iceland,
Norway, Turkey and EU accession States who, in accordance with
Article 2.3 of the Joint Action, are entitled to be involved in
the Centre's activities, for example to second image analysts
to the Centre. It is strongly in the UK's interests to support
the principle of full co-operation between the EU and NATO, as
international security is enhanced by a combination of the crisis
management tools that each can provide. The two organisations
work together on the ground in operations including Afghanistan,
Kosovo and counter-piracy. Many other third parties provide valuable
contributions to ESDP civilian and military operations and to
receive the same information as EU Member States will support
their involvement."
11.14 The Minister also reports that a joint pilot
cooperation project regarding the 2010 South Africa World Cup
is being considered between the EUSC and the US National Geospatial
Intelligence Agency, with a view to further possible cooperation:
"This proposed amendment will facilitate this cooperation
and may enable future collaboration between the EU, NATO member
states and third parties in support of international security."
11.15 The Minister concludes by noting that there
are no resource implications for the UK resulting from this amendment
and that he hopes that the amendment to the Joint Action will
be approved by Economics and Finance Ministers on 10 November
2009, "if not earlier."
Conclusion
11.16 Although this straightforward amendment
raises no questions, we consider that it warrants a report to
the House because of the widespread interest in European Security
and Defence Policy.
11.17 We now clear the document.
48 For further information, see http://www.eusc.europa.eu/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
. Regrettably, it contains no information on staff numbers or
budget. Back
49
See headnote: HC 41-iii (2006-07), chapter 18 (6 December 2006).
Back
50
See headnote: HC 16-xxviii (2007-08), chapter 9 (22 July 2008). Back
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