Gard Ueland, Chairman of Galileo Services
at the high level roundtable “GSA, the tool to implement the Galileo Satellite Navigation programme”
Session “Galileo and EGNOS: routes for the future”
“Galileo 2.0” event
15 October 2013, European Parliament, Brussels
“Mr Vice-President of the European Commission,
distinguished Members of the European Parliament,
distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,,
On behalf of “Galileo Services”, I would like to thank you for having invited our organisation –
representative of the European satellite navigation application industry to take part in this important
roundtable to address: “Building the European GNSS downstream market”.
What actually is “Galileo 2.0”? Previously in the Galileo Programme the main focus has been on
securing the satellites and the infrastructure. The next phase is in many ways the harvesting – now
the European GNSS infrastructure will be put in use to provide attractive services for the users. And
the foremost providers of solutions, services and products utilising Galileo should be European. Thus,
for me, Galileo 2.0 is all about European GNSS downstream industry seizing this fantastic opportunity
and capturing increasingly larger market shares – both in Europe and globally.
Does any of you remember when NOKIA introduced their first mobile phone with a built in GPS
receiver? It was in 2007. This was only “yesterday” – yet today we all take it for granted that our
mobile phone is equipped with GPS and navigation capabilities. I think this illustrates how fast this
market is moving and still for many application domains it has just started.
Now, where are Galileo and European industry in this landscape? Many European companies have
already been providing outstanding GNSS products and services in the global market for several
decades. However, the development of specific European GNSS downstream solutions has started to
pick up speed only a few years ago. With the major Galileo achievements in 2013 a strong
momentum is about to be launched.
First, on the twelfth of March 2013, a decisive step in the realisation of Galileo took place: The first
autonomous Galileo position fix. This wonderful European project is becoming a reality.
Second, we understand that a significant budget has been secured for the Research and Development
of applications based on European satellite navigation programmes. Thus, 2013 corresponds also to a
preparation year for the European application industry, which starts organising itself to make the
most out of the funds that will be made available early 2014.
All these stages constitute very good news for the European GNSS application industry and give new
momentum to building the downstream market.
Our organisation, Galileo Services, would like to extend its congratulations to the European
Institutions on these major achievements.
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Indeed, all is there now to maximise the socio-economic benefits from the European satellite
navigation programmes for the European citizens.
Let’s clarify the reason why…
The application market corresponds to one of the fastest growing markets with an annual growth
rate estimated to more than ten per cent (10%) over the next years.
The competitive advantages of the European GNSS offer opportunities to develop new applications
and services that could not be developed so far with the existing global satellite navigation systems.
With the European Union public support for application research and development, the European
GNSS downstream industry is competing for the first position in the European market, as well as an
increased market share in the global market.
With a global market continually increasing up to two hundred and forty (240) billion Euros by 2020,
we are talking here, about the creation of hundreds, of thousands of jobs.
Let’s put it this way: we are sitting on a gold mine: The gold mine of European GNSS application
market, and our organisation, Galileo Services (GS for short), is ready to start “digging the gold” and
get the very most out of this fantastic opportunity.
For more than 10 years, ensuring the benefits from the European satellite navigation Programmes in
Europe is the Raison d’Être of GS.
That’s why the GS community fully supports European Programmes and works every day, for an early
and wide adoption of European GNSS in all domains.
GS members have made substantial investments in and have been conducting research projects on
the development of Galileo and EGNOS applications for many years, and they are also directly
involved in the definition of Galileo services.
In conclusion. We are challenging down-stream industry with the support of European institutions, in
particular GSA: Europe must seize this opportunity and take the role as the premier provider of
solutions in European GNSS and also take a substantial and increasing share of the global market.
I thank you for your attention.”
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