Looking at the future governance of Galileo

Paper number

IAC-17,B2,5,2,x39629

Author

Dr. Serge Plattard, University College London, Austria

Coauthor

Mr. Amiel Sitruk, Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, France

Year

2017

Abstract

The European global navigation satellite system, Galileo, the only GNSS under civilian responsibility, currently under deployment, relies on a complex architecture involving the European Commission, ESA and the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Since its beginning, the more than 15 year-old programme has faced important problems including the question of adapted governance schemes relevant to the different development phases of this European flagship endeavour. These tribulations led to successive evolutions of its governance, until the most recent changes in 2013.  With initial services having started in December 2016 and the transitional period to hand over the exploitation of the constellation from ESA to the GSA to be effective July 1, 2017, new regulations need to be implemented by 2020 when Galileo will be fully operational. 
This paper will first review briefly the political, economic and technical challenges associated with the governance of Galileo to determine the generic features necessary to ensure the success of the programme, focusing on the central role that the GSA will play including in security matters, and, in our view, as an interface for international relations as well.
In order to maximise the programme’s reach and impact, we propose three alternative scenario schemes, each having different strengths and weaknesses which are diversely tailored to the various objectives of the programme. The first one assumes that the current framework is maintained and adjustments are made within it. The second considers the creation of a “single roof” entity with a bespoke legal status that would bring together the GSA and part of ESA’s Navigation Directorate, as owners of most of the technical competences, to be in charge of exploitation. The last scenario is based on a transformation of the GSA into a mainly administrative agency, with most technical tasks entrusted to the private sector. The choice of the most relevant scheme is left to policy decision makers, and will depend on a preliminary and definitive identification of technical, political and strategic priorities.

Abstract document

IAC-17,B2,5,2,x39629.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-17,B2,5,2,x39629.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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