No final deal for the Galileo satellite navigation system's public private partnership is expected before September, after last week's deadline passed for the constellation's manager, Galileo Operating Company (GOC), to sign the concession contract.
The lack of any agreed contract between the legal Galileo owner - the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA) - and GOC has thrown the project into crisis.
While a European Union transport ministers' council meeting and EU summit, both held in June, will see some political progress on the project's future, a final decision is not expected until the third or fourth quarters.
On 16 May European Commissioner for transport Jacques Barrot will announce the various options for the future of Galileo, to be considered by the June meetings. But Barrot has already called for the concession contract to be signed by September.
The German ministry of transport expects an EU decision by the fourth quarter, during Portugal's EU presidency, which starts in June, with Germany currently holding the EU presidency. However, the industrial consortium behind GOC is concerned about the impact of Barrot's proposals.
"Signing [the contract] on 15 September was a target highlighted by [Barrot], and relayed to the GOC by the GSA. This could be jeopardised by the Commission's expected new deal," says Jean-Francois Bou, interim GOC chief executive, speaking exclusively to Flight International.
Last week the EC said one of Barrot's 16 May report options is to abandon the contracting of Galileo's deployment to GOC.
Source: Flight International
