The European Parliament approved a resolution on "EU space strategy" in which MEPs agreed that the GMES earth observation programme should be officially included in the EU's multi-annual financial plans and the EU Galileo satellite navigation programme should also get proper long-term funding.

The resolution approved by the European Parliament on "EU space strategy" calls on the Commission and the Council to include funding for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme, which is designed to help combat climate change and environmental degradation, in the EU's multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020.

The European Commission stated in a Communication recently adopted that after 2013, the GMES programme would get intergovernmental funding instead of funding from the EU budget. According to Parliament, this would be highly detrimental to the programme's future development.

With regard to Galileo, the European GPS, MEPs want to make it fully operational. Its funding plan should ensure that its long-term needs can be met, according MEPs. Recently, the Commission informed on the agreement reached with Israel to expand the cooperation in Galileo's programme. Galileo, the world's first satellite navigation system designed for civilian use, could enable the EU to remain independent from the US Global Positioning System (GPS).