As the programmes have now reached an advanced stage of maturity and have gone well beyond the framework of simple research projects, it is necessary to give them a specific legal basis which is better able to satisfy their needs and respond to the requirement for sound financial management. For that reason, Regulation (EC) nº 683/2008 of the Parliament and the Council, published in the OJEU lays down the rules for the further implementation of the programmes, including those on governance and the financial contribution of the Community.

The aim of European satellite navigation policy is to provide the Community with two satellite navigation systems, established under the EGNOS and Galileo programmes.

The first of the Programmes, Galileo programme, is to establish the first global satellite navigation and positioning infrastructure specifically designed for civilian purposes. The system established under the Galileo programme is completely independent of other existing or potential systems. The aim of the EGNOS programme is to improve the quality of signals from existing global navigation satellite systems, GNSS.

The Galileo programme consists of various phases, where only the Definition Phase has already been accomplished:

• A definition phase during which the structure of the system was designed and its elements determined, which ended in 2001.
• A development and validation phase, comprising the construction and launch of the first satellites, the establishment of the first ground-based infrastructures and all the work and operations necessary to validate the system in orbit. The aim is that this phase shall end in 2010.
• A deployment phase consisting of the establishment of all the space and ground-based infrastructures as well as related operations. The aim is that this phase shall run from 2008 to 2013. It shall include preparations for the exploitation phase.
• An exploitation phase comprising infrastructure management, the maintenance, constant improvement and renewal of the system, certification and standardisation operations relating to the programme, the marketing of the system and all other activities needed to develop the system and ensure that the programme runs smoothly. The exploitation phase is set to begin at the latest upon conclusion of the deployment phase.

The systems established under the programmes are infrastructures set up as trans-European networks whose use extends well beyond the national boundaries of the Member States. Furthermore, the services offered through these systems contribute, in particular, to the development of trans-European networks in the areas of transport, telecommunications and energy infrastructures.

The Community budgetary appropriations allocated to the programmes under the Regulation shall be granted to finance:

• Activities relating to the completion of the development and validation phase of the Galileo programme.
• Activities relating to the deployment phase of the Galileo programme, including actions to manage and monitor this phase.
• Activities relating to the operation of EGNOS as well as actions preceding or preparatory to the exploitation phase of the programmes.

The amount allocated to implement the activities specified in Article 9 is EUR 3 405 million for the period from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013. This includes EUR 400 million made available from the Seventh Framework Programme.

In the development and application of the Regulation, the Commission will be assisted by the European GNSS Supervisory Authority and the European Space Agency.