report of the action team on global navigation satellite systems (gnss)

transport. In <strong>the</strong> context <strong>of</strong> ICAO and IMO, <strong>the</strong> Commission believes that satellite navigation is akey element in improving safety while allowing savings through decommissioning <strong>of</strong> terrestrialinfrastructure. These benefits fall to industrialised and developing countries alike due to <strong>the</strong>global character and technical design <strong>of</strong> GALILEO.118. The usefulness <strong>of</strong> GNSS is not limited to <strong>the</strong> transport community. The studies financedby <strong>the</strong> EC and ESA conclude that it has obvious applications in future UMTS location-basedservices, dealing with natural disasters and civil protection matters and enabling <strong>the</strong> emergencyservices (firefighters, police, sea and mountain rescue, etc.) to provide more rapid assistance topersons in danger. The same can apply to managing humanitarian aid in regions affected bynatural or man-made disasters. O<strong>the</strong>r proposed applications include guidance for <strong>the</strong> blind,monitoring <strong>of</strong> persons affected by Alzheimer's disease with memory loss, and orientation aids for<strong>the</strong> leisure industry such as hiking.119. This technology can be used as a surveying tool for town planning purposes and majorpublic works, as well as for geographical information systems to manage agricultural land moreefficiently and help protect <strong>the</strong> environment. The accuracy <strong>of</strong> measurements will also provideearly warning <strong>of</strong> earthquakes, contributing thus to prevent natural disasters and save human lives.120. Time synchronisation is an important “invisible” application <strong>of</strong> satellite navigation thatwill penetrate modern economies. Electricity grids, mobile telephony and banking networks need<strong>the</strong> extreme accuracy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> satellites' atomic clock for reference purposes. On-line systems and e-commerce have already created needs for accurate and legally accepted electronic methods suchas time stamping to improve <strong>the</strong> traceability, tractability and liability <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> user information.121. With its global coverage, GALILEO will be <strong>of</strong> key importance to countries whoseinfrastructures on <strong>the</strong> ground are less developed, particularly in tropical and equatorial zones, notleast because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> possibilities it <strong>of</strong>fers in <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong> mapping and civil engineering. It will helpto manage <strong>the</strong> crucial natural resources, <strong>the</strong> airspace and to promote international trade.122. The multitude <strong>of</strong> already existing applications caused concern in <strong>the</strong> European Union in<strong>the</strong> early 1990s about <strong>the</strong> limits and risks <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> adequacy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> existing satellite navigationservices in <strong>the</strong> future.123. It was, in fact, questioned at that time whe<strong>the</strong>r systems created to serve primarily <strong>the</strong>defense interests <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United States (GPS) and <strong>the</strong> Russian Federation (GLONASS) would beable to fulfil <strong>the</strong> growing needs <strong>of</strong> Europe in <strong>the</strong> civilian fields described above.124. To what degree can <strong>the</strong> European society depend on services over which it has nocontrol? How does one solve <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> prompt warnings <strong>of</strong> possible malfunctioning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>seservices to <strong>the</strong> users? How does one improve <strong>the</strong> availability and coverage problems <strong>of</strong> usersworldwide and particularly in <strong>the</strong> areas at geographical disadvantage in <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn and sou<strong>the</strong>rnhemispheres? Also, should <strong>the</strong> European Union remain a “free rider” in this global and strategictechnology?125. Moreover, how far can <strong>the</strong> risks to reliability and vulnerability <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> navigation signal becontained? Cases <strong>of</strong> service disruption have been <strong>report</strong>ed over <strong>the</strong> past years and <strong>the</strong>y have haddifferent origins including unintentional interference, satellite failure and signal degradation. As amatter <strong>of</strong> fact, by 2007-2008 <strong>the</strong> dependence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Union on GNSS and itsapplications will be as far-reaching as that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United States.26