Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Cloud Cookoo Land


Which is obviously part of the single European Space, and is the current residence of Rosie Winterton.

Today I recieved a briefing note from her department about the Galileo project.


UK objectives

Achieve a robust and viable Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Influence the development, financial and budgetary control of the project to ensure a transparent process which can deliver a value for money deal for the Community.
Maintain Galileo as a civil programme under civil control.
To secure the maximum benefit for the UK and the Community from Galileo, including promoting the UK bid for Cardiff to host the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA).



1- Yesterday the Commission announced that Galileo would be funded by the EU (That is not a PPP and yes that is your taxes. Rather gloriously, in the light of the growing food crisis they are suggesting that unused food budget money can be shoehorned into the project - Pigs in Space!!) Of course it cannot do this until the Constitutional Treaty is ratified, because until then Space will not be an EU competance, but why allow democracy to get in the way of a good idea - spending your money on expensive shiny bauubles is always a good idea.
2. Yesterday at a Conference in Paris Matthias Ruete, the Commission's Director General of Energy and Transport said that "there isn't any direct, visible money to be made from it (other than for companies who might build, launch, and run the satellites)".
3. It has been apparent for a long time now that Galileo is a military project, and is being run specifically to diss the Americans and their GPSD system.

Good to see the power and influence of Her Majesty's Government

1 comment:

The Aunt said...

But this is a transparent attempt by the Commission to get rid of the CAP, which they hate! I'd have thought you'd be all for it!

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