Council reaches political agreement on formalisation of EU-ESA partnership
A framework agreement between the European Union and the European Space Agency came one step closer on 22 September when the EU's Competitiveness Council reached a political consensus on signing a draft version agreed by ESA and the Commission. The agreement will contribute towards the development of an overall European space policy and the subsequent securing of Europe's independent and cost-effective access to space. A compromise text, prepared by the Italian Presidency, was adopted unanimously after it was made clear that operational arrangements for the effective cooperation between the EU and ESA will not interfere with existing institutional settings and frameworks. The Council's political agreement follows an earlier resolution emphasising 'the need for concluding the framework agreement between the Community and ESA as soon as possible and no later than the end of 2003, in view of the White Paper, as a step towards the development of an overall space policy.' Negotiations on a framework agreement have been ongoing since the publication of a Commission communication in 2000 entitled 'Europe and space: turning to a new chapter'.
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