The European Commission announced the launching of the European Data Access Service (EDAS), a new commercial service of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), designed to make satellite navigation in Europe more reliable and thus more effective for use in commercial applications in difficult surroundings.

GPS data can now be obtained via the internet in addition to access via the existing satellite signal. The European Commission announced now the possibility for new products and services that uses internet access to satellite navigation data. The European Data Access Service (EDAS) is a new commercial service of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), and will support new services in numerous sectors including high-precision fertiliser spraying, automatic road-tolling, fleet management, inland waterway navigation, dangerous goods transportation or accurate area measurement. Recently, a new EGNOS transponder was launched into a satellite to provide higher accuracy positioning signals.

Access to GPS data will also be possible via hand-held devices, using wireless communication from added value service providers. European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, stressed that with EDAS, the EU has a reliable performance level which can in turn support the creation of new and innovative products and thus help to overcome the current economic crisis.

The EDAS Service is provided by ESSP (EGNOS Service Provider) under a contract with the European Commission. EGNOS is the first pan-European satellite-based augmentation system, and is Europe's first contribution to satellite navigation and is the precursor to Galileo. EGNOS increases the accuracy of GPS and enables applications requiring higher precision by correcting errors caused by atmospheric disturbance factors.