The European Union's (EU) Council of Ministers expressed its backing for the Galileo satellite navigation programme at its meeting last month, but vital decisions on further funding for the struggling project are unlikely to be made until March. The failure of EU members to commit the necessary €450 million ($406 million) to the programme has prompted European transport commissioner Loyola de Palacio to stress that Europe must make decisions on the programme soon or it will miss its 2008 start-up date. The EU council is calling for a funding decision in March decisions on programme management to be made in June. Meeting the schedule is seen as crucial to gaining sufficient market share.
Source: Flight International
