Text tabled : A7-0316/2011

  Silvia-Adriana Ţicău (S&D), in writing. – (RO) I voted for the conclusion of the Cooperation Agreement on Satellite Navigation between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway as this agreement helps implement the EU’s space policy.

Norway is the closest partner outside the EU involved in the European GNSS systems GALILEO and EGNOS and has made a political, technical and financial contribution at every stage of the GALILEO programme as a member of the European Space Agency. Norway will host two important ground installations which will contribute to the GNSS system’s smooth operation. In this context, Norway is making a political commitment to subscribe to the future EU policy on the protection of European GNSS systems.

The agreement establishes the general cooperation principles, as well as Norway’s rights and obligations in relevant areas, such as security. Norway intends to adopt and enforce in the territories under its jurisdiction measures providing an equivalent level of security and safety as that afforded by the measures applicable to GNSS in the EU.

The agreement stipulates cooperation on providing satellite navigation services in the parties’ territories and on using all GALILEO and EGNOS services, including the public regulated service (PRS), subject to fulfilling the conditions governing their use.