[gmes.info] At
the ESA Council Meeting, held on 25-26 November 2008, a set of
resolutions have been adopted and concerned the contribution of space
to achieve Europe’s global objectives; the budget of ESA for the period
of 2009-2013; the financing of the Guiana Space Centre and the future
functioning of ESA. Moreover, Ministers agreed on measures for further
development and exploitation of space applications which would
stimulate economic growth and innovation. Among these measures remain
the subscriptions for the Earth Observation activities, including the
second segment of the GMES Space Component programme.
At
a two-day Council Meeting on 25-26 November 2008 in The Hague, the
Ministers in charge of space activities in the ESA’s 18 Member States
and Canada decided that new initiatives will be undertaken in several
space fields and endorsed the next phases of a set of ongoing
programmes. In compliance with the European Space Policy, the first
agreed EU space policy adopted in 2007, these measures will contribute
to the development and exploitation of space applications for public
services and enterprises by providing innovation, economic growth and
strategic independence. Therefore the Ministers agreed that the
investment in space activities is nowadays particularly relevant for
the prosperity and security in Europe.
In this context, the Ministers adopted four
resolutions, starting with “The role of Space in delivering Europe’s
global objectives”, which covers the political and programmatic
highlights of the Council; followed by a resolution establishing the
level of resources for ESA in the period of 2009-2013; then a
resolution about the renewal of the contribution of ESA Member States
to the running costs of the Guiana Space Centre ; and finally, a
resolution outlining the future evolution of ESA, including financial
reform, decision-making processes, industrial and procurement policies
and the further development of site infrastructures for ESA programmes.
The ESA Ministers took also numerous decisions
regarding the continuation of ongoing programmes and start of new ones.
Among these decisions, the subscriptions for the Earth Observation
activities include the second segment of the GMES Space Component
programme, the Meteosat 3rd generation development programme and a new
Climate Change Initiative on the provision of essential climate
variables.
The question of the budget needed to exploit
the space station generated, however, a big debate. Finally it was
agreed that the overall budget provided by the Member States to ESA
amounts to just over 10 billion euro.
To summing up, through this high level meeting,
ESA Ministers have transformed the political impetus into new
programmes able to deliver knowledge, services and competitiveness
which shall increase the Europe’s capability to respond to global
challenges.
More information at:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMR3S9WYNF_index_0.html
http://www.dlr.de/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-1/86_read-14434/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7748567.stm
