Galileo Escapes Further Cuts in European Council Budget Action

February 8, 2013

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The European Council heads of states meeting ended today (February 8, 2013) without making further cuts in the proposed budget for Europe's GNSS programs.

Despite sizable cuts in the overall budget proposed by the European Commission (EC), the 2014–20 multi-annual financial framework (MFF) document going to the European Parliament retains €6.3 billion (US$8.42 billion) in financing for Galileo and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS). That is the same amount identified in December by Carlo des Dorides, executive director of the European GNSS Agency (GSA), which will have responsibility for most of the funds.

The figure is down from the €7 billion (US$9.41 billion) originally sought by the EC and less than the €6.6 billion proposed by European Council President Herman van Rompuy last November.

Several parliamentary leaders, however, have indicated that they will encourage the European Parliament to reject the budget.