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Doc. 8118
18 May 1998
European space policies
Reply to Recommendation 1341 (1997)
from the Committee of Ministers
adopted on 12 May 1998 at the 631st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies
The Committee of Ministers has studied Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1341 (1997) on European space policies and wishes to inform the Parliamentary Assembly of the following:
A European programme on the use of space technologies for managing hazards has been prepared in close co-operation between the European Space Agency, the European Commission and the Council of Europe’s EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement. Space technologies are being considered in terms of their use both through telecommunications and through space observation of the earth and positioning problems.
This project was prepared as part of the terms of reference given to the Executive Secretariat of the Agreement following the adoption of a Resolution on this subject at the 6th Ministerial Session of the Agreement in Brussels on 6 October 1997.
At the 7th Ministerial Session of the Agreement on 24 and 25 November 1997, a Resolution was adopted aimed at implementing the European programme “Space Techniques for Major Risks Management” (STRIM). In this Resolution the Ministers «decide to participate in the STRIM Programme which in a first phase should concentrate on improving the synergy between the various present activities carried out by the above-mentioned partners with a logical starting point being the users' needs.
The STRIM programme would be made more concrete by pooling, between the partners having expressed their wish to participate, the various activities which the latter make available to the programme, in order to:
1. know and analyse these existing activities so that they can draw lessons from them to improve the management of risk and emergency situations;
2. envisage support activities which could be proposed to increase the effectiveness of existing projects;
3. assess the value of new activities.
The EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement ensures liaison with users as well as with partners from Eastern Europe and Southern Mediterranean whose States are members of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement. »
The Ministers also request that contacts be taken with:
- «the European Commission requesting it to ensure the liaison with the policies of the European Union, in particular in the fields of "research, development, environment and telematics" and the technical co-ordination, given the expertise which has been developed in the preparatory phase of the programme;-
- the European Space Agency and the National Space Agencies which could ensure the liaison with the European space policy, contribute to the preparation and the engagement of pilot projects, define the evolution of existing satellite systems and orientate future projects. »
The STRIM programme will be managed by:
- a Programme Committee made up of a representative from each financial partner institution of this initiative and the user representatives at European and national levels:
. the European Commission
. the European Space Agency
. the national space agencies contributing to the implementation of the programme
. the Council of Europe's EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement;
- a Bureau of 8 members from the Programme Committee forming the Steering Group;
- a Technical Co-ordination Unit in charge of coordinating the various activities carried out in the STRIM Programme.
The secretariat of the Programme Committee and of the Bureau will be ensured by the Executive Secretariat of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement.
The Chairman of the STRIM Programme will be a high level personality proposed by the Steering Group and nominated by the programme Committee.
In addition, the Ministers request the Executive Secretariat to present to them in December 1998 a report on the implementation of the STRIM Programme based on the various programmes which the partners have accepted to pool.
A working meeting of the European Space Agency, the European Commission and the Executive Secretariat of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement was held in Paris on 8 December 1997 to decide on arrangements for launching the STRIM Programme.