EU reaches agreement on Galileo satnav, Spain goes home angry

The European Union's next generation satellite navigation system has finally gotten to green light from all involved parties... except Spain. As we reported in July, the project had gotten the high five from US interests, but the works had been stalled as Spain fought to maintain a control center in Madrid. In the end, 26 of the 27 member states of the Union decided to move forward with the project, declining Spain's request, and leaving them to bow out of the agreement. As of now, there will only be control centers in Germany and Italy, but the project will begin to move forward once again, with a launch slated for 2013. Says EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot, "Galileo will become the spearhead for European technology." We're all for the new system, but we hope a few satellites don't spark another Thirty Years' War.

[Chris @ Nov 30th 2007 1:32PM]

Can't much blame Spain for being pissed. France and Germany seem to rule everything and the rest of the countries are their bitch.

[Argot @ Nov 30th 2007 1:39PM]

I like it. Galileo, GPS (the original USA system) and Glonass will benefit us all. The only drawback is that it will make Geocaching less of a challenge, unless you leave out part of the coordinates or something?

One of mine:
http://img.geocaching.com/cache/564bf5f7-8d90-4580-8912-b5ef626574d7.jpg
:)

[Brad @ Nov 30th 2007 1:46PM]

So Spain actually bowed out of the whole consortium because they couldn't get their own control center? Boo-frickin'-hoo.

"We don't want to take part in a technology that we will benefit from with nearly 30 other countries unless we can control it."

No wonder the rest of the world doesn't care about you anymore Spain.

[bjorn_ahlm @ Nov 30th 2007 2:57PM]

No, the rest of the countries said 'Screw you, we'll do it anyways!'

[RC @ Nov 30th 2007 2:03PM]

This sounds cute.

[John @ Nov 30th 2007 2:31PM]

That's kind of pathetic... and a pretty good example of why multinational efforts tend to fall apart after a while or lose all power.

[Pdexter @ Nov 30th 2007 7:06PM]

EU is a bit more complicated atm. Its getting more "united states of Europe" with the new laws EU will have president and central EU will have more power over the countries....thought still far far away form united.

[Guillermo @ Nov 30th 2007 2:32PM]

Spain has a control center in Madrid, its just not qualified to take control of this. All the money from the EU will go to make Germany's and Italy's control center feasible for this technology. Spain is paying for this, as are many other countries, they just thought that it wasn't fair that the whole EU would pay for Germany and Italy and not for them. it makes a lot of sense.

Anyway, they are going to pay for it themselves and could be given control when this goes live in 2013..

[TJ @ Nov 30th 2007 3:21PM]

Frankly I'm not surprised that Spain is complaining. They always bitch and moan when anything doesn't go their way in the EU. Most of the major land improvement, transportation, and commercialized industries like fishing have been subsidized by the EU for the past 10 years or so. If I'm not mistaken, they were one of if not the only country to vote against allowing Estonia or Lithuania into the Union because it would take money away from themselves. So frankly, screw Spain. While the rest of the world is advancing they'll still be on a siesta.

[LuhhMyStyle @ Nov 30th 2007 3:34PM]

I can understand why Spain would be against the entrance of Estonia and Lithuania into the Union. They pose no benefit to the other nations and are actually money pits due to their corrupt infrastructures and backwards cultures. So while the rest of the EU is advancing they'll still be screwing sheep.

[blarvh @ Nov 30th 2007 5:00PM]

The main reason why the fairly EU friendly Spain was against the entry of Lithuania, Estonia and 8 other eastern European countries was because Spain is still receiving quite a lot of money as aid to their country side.
The countryside in Spain is below average still, but before 2004 it was one of the poorest regions in the EU. The support that these regions get from the EU has because of this shrunk.

[Pdexter @ Nov 30th 2007 7:11PM]

Like Finland is going to pay more and same time we will get paid less. Of course the economy will benefit in the long run, but some countires like Turkey joining in to the EU and us who are paying more than getting wont be too happy.
This threat just turned politic! ;)

[cc om @ Dec 12th 2007 9:35PM]

I don't know about this. Ireland also voted against Estonia and Latvia and the others joining - and so everyone was like "fuck you Ireland, we just gave you a shitload of money, and now you won't let others join in!" But the fact was that this wasn't why Ireland didn't vote for it at all - it was because there was a bill attached to the referendum that seemed to suggest Ireland would lose control of its defense forces. There was a rumor going around to that effect at the time, and the government did nothing to explain what was actually going on. They held the referendum again a year later, this time properly clarifying everything, and Ireland voted yes. It had nothing to do with voting against Estonia and Latvia. So, maybe something similar was going on in spain...

[Jon @ Nov 30th 2007 3:49PM]

Politics aside (and I couldn't give a damn), I am glad that Galileo is finally moving forward. GPS navigation is fine but I hope these new tech will provide greater accuracy and reliability especially over bad weather and in urban environment.

[lorenzo bivens @ Nov 30th 2007 4:18PM]

This article is wrong.

Spain will have a control center networked with the one in Germany and Italy.

For those that can read spanish a link from the mayor spanish newspaper: http://www.elpais.com/articulo/economia/UE/aprueba/nuevo/texto/plan/Galileo/visto/bueno/Espana/elpepueco/20071130elpepueco_9/Tes

[juan @ Nov 30th 2007 4:29PM]

the article is outdated, Spain is in :

http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSL3056025120071130

[JBDragon @ Dec 1st 2007 9:21PM]

I've read the Specs on all 3 of these systems, and while Russia's looks pretty poor in accuracy, the Galileo system isn't going to be any more accurate then the GPS system.

I think it's a huge waste of money for something that's not needed. You have a free system already to use, but because you can't control it, you just have to have your own. I'm fine with that. Throw your money away. Not like there's better things all the money could have and should be spent on.

Quite frankly, how accurate do you need to be? 15 feet not good enough in a car? My GPS units work great and are very accurate. I have no problem Geo Caching either. I know the thing to do these days is bash the U.S., Hate the U.S., don't trust the U.S. Whatever. I won't get into it here, I'm just saying the system is redundant and the ONLY reason it exists is so you have your very own expensive toy the U.S. supposedly can't block you from using for whatever reason you can come up with.

I'm all for people in the EU paying for their own system. Not like you don't get taxed enough, what's a little more. Then you can buy some new, more expensive hardware to use it.

[cc om @ Dec 13th 2007 11:33AM]

well, that's all jolly fine, but really I think we can all spot that this is alot more than a navigation system for cars. this is a surveillance system. and, what do you think happens if the EU and the US have a military conflict of interests? the US will be like "here, use our surveillance system to undermine our own military manouevers, knock yourselves out"... I don't think so.

[JBDragon @ Dec 19th 2007 3:39AM]

GPS is not a Surveillance system! It's a Global Positioning system. Never said it was just for Car Navigation. It's also for Ship and Airplane navigation. Also for Missile Navigation. GPS tracking devices use the Cellular network to send Data back. If you want Surveillance that's what the Spy Satellites are for!!!

I will give it to you for Missile Navigation, if your Relaying solely on GPS. As for a war with the US and EU, I don't see that ever happening. We are Allies, we saves your asses in WWII. To me, another system to do the same thing is a big waste of money. It's not my money this time, it's yours, so I really don't care. Your all paying for your many Satellites to put up, and continue to put up to keep the system going, and pay for all new GPS units that will work with the new system if you want to use it.

[Wwhat @ Dec 2nd 2007 3:23AM]

This thing will be delayed until 3030 at least.