12Global navigation satellite systems
Summary and Committee’s conclusions
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Committee’s assessment |
Politically important |
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Cleared from scrutiny |
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Document details |
Proposed Council Decision authorising signature of a cooperation agreement between the EU and the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar on the development of satellite navigation for civil aviation |
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Legal base |
Articles 172 and 218(5) TFEU; QMV |
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Department |
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
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Document Numbers |
(38066), 12228/16, COM(16) 574 |
12.1The EU’s European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) is designed to augment global navigation satellite systems, by reporting on the reliability and accuracy of positioning data, to the point where it can be relied upon for safety critical functions such as landing aircraft. EGNOS is, together with Galileo (a new satellite navigation constellation), which it will augment, part of the EU’s programme for developing a global navigation satellite system. Post Brexit the UK is likely to retain a major interest in global navigation satellite as a major supplier of relevant technology.
12.2The EU may enter into agreements with third countries and international organisations in the context of the EGNOS and Galileo programmes. In September 2014 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate, on behalf of the EU, an international agreement with the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar. This consequent proposed Council Decision is to authorise the signature of a cooperation agreement between the EU and that Agency. The agreement refers to the provision of a satellite-based augmentation service in Africa based on the EGNOS technology, albeit the two systems will be separate and independent of each other. The agreement lays down the principles, scope and forms of cooperation and addresses technical, financial and governance matters.
12.3The Government tells us that it is supportive of the proposed agreement because of the opportunity it will provide for the UK, and more widely the EU, space industry, but also for its wider value in the context of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership.
12.4While we are content to clear this proposal from scrutiny we draw it to the attention of the House for its illustration of the wider opportunities which may be offered by the EGNOS and Galileo programmes, both now and post Brexit.
Full details of the documents
Proposed Council Decision authorising the signature, on behalf of the Union, of a cooperation agreement between the European Union and the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) on the development of satellite navigation and the provision of associated services in ASECNA’s area of competence for the benefit of civil aviation: (38066), 12228/16, COM(16) 574.
Background
12.5The EU has a two-phase policy for developing a global navigation satellite system. The first phase is the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) programme, which augments the GPS (the United States Global Positioning System) and GLONASS (the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System) systems. EGNOS reports on the reliability and accuracy of the positioning data, to the point where it can be relied upon for safety critical functions such as landing aircraft. The second phase is the programme, named Galileo, to establish a new satellite navigation constellation with appropriate ground infrastructure. Galileo is based on the presumption that Europe ought not to rely indefinitely on the augmented GPS and GLONASS systems, and is itself to be augmented by EGNOS.
12.6Regulation (EU) No. 1285/2013, which governs the EU satellite navigation programmes are based, the EU may enter into agreements with third countries and international organisations in the context of the EGNOS and Galileo programmes. In September 2014 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate, on behalf of the EU, an international agreement with the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA).
The document
12.7This consequent proposed Council Decision is to authorise the signature, on behalf of the EU, of a cooperation agreement between the EU and ASECNA. The agreement refers to the provision of a satellite-based augmentation service in Africa based on the EGNOS technology, albeit the two systems will be separate and independent of each other. This will also require supporting ground infrastructure to be located at certain sites on the African continent. The agreement lays down the principles, scope and forms of cooperation and addresses technical, financial and governance matters.
The Government’s view
12.8In his Explanatory Memorandum of 26 September 2016 the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Joseph Johnson) prefaces his comments with the Government’s ritual statement that until Brexit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the EU, that all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force and that during this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation. He then says that the Government is supportive of concluding cooperation agreements in relation to the EU’s satellite navigation programmes.
12.9The Minister comments further that:
- this agreement offers the potential for the UK space industry, along with its EU counterparts, to export knowledge and technology to African nations based on their work in developing the EGNOS system;
- part of the rationale of the EU developing its own satellite navigation systems was to enable growth and expansion of EU industry and this agreement is anticipated to contribute to such growth;
- the EU and Africa have been cooperating on satellite navigation since adoption of the 2011–13 action plan48 implementing the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership;49
- such cooperation was reaffirmed in the 2014–17 roadmap (paragraph 47) adopted at the Africa-EU summit in 2014;50
- this activity is expected to offer advantages to the African continent, with studies highlighting the socio-economic advantages of such cooperation;
- cooperation will also be of benefit to the EU space industry which will have the advantage of an expanded African market to develop its technology, deploy a new infrastructure and use the services associated with satellite navigation;
- as the systems will be independent of each other, there is not expected to be any impact on the EGNOS system used throughout Europe; and
- the proposal has no implications for tax and does not raise any concerns regarding the competence of the EU.
Previous Committee Reports
None.
48 See 2011–2013 action plan.
50 See EU-Africa summit.
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14 October 2016