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Galileo Joint Undertaking Designates Executive Director

Brussels/June 12, 2003/Satnews Daily/ — The Supervisory Board of the Galileo's Joint Undertaking has designated Rainer Grohe as Executive Director. As Executive Director of the Joint Undertaking, Grohe is primarily responsible for the success of Galileo, the European satellite positioning and navigation system. 

Galileo, a project developed in co-operation with the European Space Agency, will enable users to determine their exact position in time and space at any moment: the system has many practical applications, ranging from radio navigation in private cars to transport safety in general, with knock-on effects in various commercial sectors (banking, geological applications, public works, energy, etc).

"This is a new step ahead for the project Galileo" said Loyola de Palacio, vice-president in charge of Transport and Energy. "The Joint Undertaking can now start immediately its work to build the system and develop one of the main European technological projects". 

The technological, economic and strategic stakes for Europe's future are high. The economic spin-off will be enormous: various studies estimate that Galileo will create an equipment and services market of around € 10 billion per year and tens of thousands of highly qualified jobs in Europe. This leading-edge technology will give a major boost to Europe's commercial and industrial influence in the world.

The setting up of a Joint Undertaking, provided for in Article 171 of the Treaty, will ensure that management of the program is in one hand. It is a flexible organization, with legal personality, able to conclude the necessary contracts to get Galileo up and running and promote the necessary research and development efforts.  

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