Commission agrees the launch of four new research contracts for Galileo
The European Commission has announced its agreement to the launch of four important research contracts for the Galileo programme, under its Fifth RTD Framework Programme. These contracts (worth 37 million euro) will allow the progression of Galileo definition stage. Galileo is the European contribution to a global satellite navigation system under civilian control. It should complement and improve existing dual use systems such as GPS (the US global satellite navigation system) and GLONASS (the Russian satellite navigation system). The start of the Galileo definition phase was decided by the Council of Ministers in June 1999. This phase will run from June 1999 to December 2000 and will concentrate on international negotiations with the USA and the Russian Federation, the development of cost-benefit analysis and the conditions for a public-private partnership, the creation of the appropriate legal framework and questions of the civil-military interface. Essential parts of the research will be available for the Council of Ministers at the end of 2000, in order for them to take decisions on the test and validation phase of the programme, which could begin in 2001.