On Tuesday 24 June, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Committee of the Regions (CoR) hosted in Brussels the High-level conference on the "Civilian Applications of GALILEO", which they co-organise together with Business Bridge Europe.

Focussing on the economic, business and societal aspects of the future European system of radio navigation (GALILEO), the conference will have as keynote speakers : Mr. Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the French European Affairs Minister, Mr. Peter Verlic, the Slovenian State Secretary of Transport, representing the respective Presidencies of the Council, Mr Antonio Tajani, European Commission Vice-President in charge of Transport, Mr Jacques Barrot, European Commission Vice-President for Justice, Freedom and Security, but previously in charge of transport, Mr. Philippe Meystadt, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), MEP Paolo Costa, Chair of the European Parliament Committee for Transport and Tourism, Mrs. Etelka Barsi-Pataky, European MP and Galileo Rapporteur, and Mr Jean-Jacques Jourdain, the Director of the European Space Agency (ESA).

On 28 April 2008, the Council of Ministers of the EU successfully negotiated the regulation allowing the continuation of the EGNOS and GALILEO programmes. This regulation outlines a timetable and an industrial tendering plan as well as a clear division of roles and responsibilities between the three EU institutions. The regulation opens up a new phase geared not any more to the realization of the system in itself but to the optimal use and application of the navigation system.

Opened by Mr Dimitris Dimitriadis, President of the EESC, Mr Gordon Keymer, Vice-President of the CoR, Mr Antonio Tajani and Mr Jacques Barrot, Vice-Presidents of the European Commission, Mr Philippe Maystadt, President of the EIB, and Mr. Peter Verlic, the Slovenian State Secretary of Transport, the High-level conference on the "Civilian Applications of GALILEO", has a threefold aim:

• To mobilise public actors and corporations on the very wide scope of services which will be provided by Galileo, to alert civil society to the technological superiority of Galileo over GPS.
• To gather the expectations of civil society as far as individual and collectives services are concerned, and,
• To draw the financial services communities' attention on the considerable investments needs called for by these new developments.

What is the European Economic and Social Committee?

The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 344 members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers.

What is Committee of the Regions?

The Committee of the Regions: Around two-thirds of EU legislation is implemented by local and regional authorities in Member States. The Committee of the Regions is a consultative body, which was created in 1994 to give representatives of local government a say over the content of these laws. The CoR organises five plenary sessions a year, where its 344 members vote on reports, known as opinions, issued in response to proposed legislation. The European Commission, which initiates EU laws, and the Council of Ministers, which determines the final content of the legislation (usually in tandem with the European Parliament), are obliged to consult the CoR on a wide range of policy areas including the environment, employment and transport.