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United States and European Union Consultations On Global Satellite Navigation (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Released by the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State, December 16, 1998

Introductory Summary

Ambassador Mary Beth West, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Fisheries, and Space, Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State, and Mr. Matthias Ruete, Director for the Directorate General for Transportation, European Commission have issued a joint summary report for the United States-European Union Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) consultations.

Ambassador Mary Beth West and Director Matthias Ruete today issued a joint report summarizing the rounds of consultations that have been held over the last year. Europe is expected to make a recommendation in the first half of 1999 as to how it will participate in the evolution of a global navigation satellite system and associated markets.

The United States and European Union have held several discussions to address areas of mutual interest in global satellite navigation, and in particular areas for cooperation. The United States has been operating the Global Positioning System and, pursuant to presidential policy and congressional direction, providing the GPS Standard Positioning Service to the world free of direct user fees. It has become a defacto standard for global satellite based navigation services and is used extensively throughout the world for applications ranging from air and marine navigation to agriculture and mining. The United States and European Union, as well as Japan, are developing civil augmentation systems to improve accuracy and provide integrity for satellite-based global navigation services. Private industry is also developing and deploying civil augmentations such as differential GPS networks and pseudolites.

To provide for the greatest benefit to navigation users and to ensure interoperability of services, the United States and European Union have been working together to identify areas of mutual interest and options for cooperation between the two sides. The results of these consultations are provided in the following Joint Summary Report.

Joint Summary Report

The United States and Europe recognize the vital and growing reliance on satellite-based radio-positioning, navigation, and precision timing for commercial, civil, and scientific functions, including those related to safety-of-life.

In a series of exploratory discussions between the representatives and experts of the Government of the United States and the European Tripartite Group -- European Community, represented by the European Commission, European Space Agency and Eurocontrol --, the two sides have discussed a number of options for achieving a future Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The United States believes that a GNSS based on GPS and its related augmentations -- such as WAAS, EGNOS, MSAS, maritime DGPS, and Eurofix -- would effectively meet the needs of global users. The European institutions are in the process of making a decision in early 1999 on the future direction and role of Europe in satellite-based radionavigation.

At the most recent meetings, an option under consideration by the European institutions was discussed. This option would involve the creation of a European component of GNSS that would provide signals-in-space which would be fully compatible and interoperable with GPS. With regard to this option, the United States presented a concept for further discussion based on the following:

• Use of common GPS time, geodesy, and signal structure standards
• Protection of current radionavigation spectrum from disruption and interference
• Seamless, global interoperability of future systems with GPS
• Open signal structure for basic civil services to assure full availability for safety-related services and to promote equal access for applications development and value-added services
• No direct user fees for basic civil and public safety services
• Ensuring open market driven competition for user equipment and applications
• Recognizing the national and international security issues of GPS and GNSS and protecting against misuse of the systems

The United States Government intends to continue to provide the GPS Standard Positioning Service for peaceful civil, commercial, and scientific use on a continuous, worldwide basis free of direct user charges. With regard to a GPS-based system, the United States Government is prepared to consider in a cooperative agreement, opportunities for expanding European insight and input into the operation, management, and modernization of GPS civil functions through appropriate mechanisms -- e.g., civilian representation at the civil GPS augmentation centers. On a similar basis, Europe would consider, in line with the provisions above in this paragraph, equivalent U.S. treatment within a civil GNSS-2 created by Europe.

In the context of a cooperative agreement, structures for interface coordination could be established. These structures could be responsible for coordinating the technical characteristics of each system and may need to address policy issues, e.g., spectrum management and civil-military interfaces, so that their respective management structures can make informed decisions.

Both sides agree on the objective of achieving seamless global interoperability of satellite-based radionavigation systems. This implies both bilateral and multilateral cooperation on interoperability with ground and space-based augmentation systems (GBAS and SBAS) which might serve as contributions to the deployment of a future international integrity network. Further, this cooperation should support the development of appropriate radionavigation planning, as well as spectrum protection and planning, interface management, and the identification of and response to user requirements.

In order to clarify these options, both sides agree that technical meetings will take place in the near future. The two sides also intend to work together as appropriate on GNSS-related issues -- e.g., certification, liability, and spectrum management -- that arise in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, and in other international organizations or meetings.

On industrial issues, the two sides have concluded that there are opportunities for cooperation to promote the growth of trade in GNSS related products and services. This should include action to identify potential barriers to trade and appropriate measures to prevent or remove them.

In the spirit of the New Transatlantic Agenda, the two sides share the expectation that their consultations will help their respective authorities identify ways to deal with GPS/GNSS related issues that may arise as uses of GPS/GNSS increase.

[end of document]

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