Recommendation 495
(1967)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Text adopted by the Standing Committee, on 23rd June 1967 (see Doc. 2243, report of the Committee on Science and Technology).
The Assembly,
2. Having examined the 2nd report of the European Space Vehicle Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) and the 2nd report of the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO) ;
3. Welcoming the active interest taken by the Committee of Ministers in the endeavours of the Assembly to bring about a co-ordinated European space research and technology policy ;
4. Welcoming the opportunity offered for a fruitful dialogue on space matters between Governments, parliamentarians and international organisations by the simultaneous submittance, as requested by the Assembly, of the 2nd annual reports from ELDO and ESRO to the Assembly, hopes that the European Conference on Satellite Communications (CETS) will also proceed to do so in the near future ;
5. Stressing the importance which a European space programme has for the competitiveness of European industry and continued growth of the European economy ;
6. Believing that the fate of a coordinated European space policy is a test case for the whole concept of a European technological co-operation and in the final analysis for Europe's ability to bridge the technological gap ;
7. ELDO efforts
8. 7. Welcoming the ELDO Resolution of July 1966 on "Co-ordination of space policy in Europe" ;
9. 8. Recalling that one year has passed since the ELDO Ministerial Conference proposed the establishment of a co-ordinated European space policy and decided to examine the problem of amalgamating the existing European space organisations, and while noting that the Study Committee of ELDO submitted its first report on co-ordination of European space policy in October 1966, regrets that no action seems to have been taken on its precise and detailed proposals ;
10. 9. Noting that the report of the Committee of Alternates on the problems of amalgamating the existing European space organisations to be ready at the latest by 31st March 1967, is not dealt with in the ELDO and ESRO reports, expresses the hope that this report be published forthwith ;
11. 10. Regretting that except for a reference in the ESRO report to the Co-ordinating Committee charged with the immediate coordination and the functioning of ELDO, ESRO and CETS, no information is available on its activities ;
12. Technical advance
13. 11. Reiterating the significance it has always attached to the paramount importance for Europe of establishing a joint and coordinated programme in the field of satellite telecommunications, television transmission, distribution and broadcasting by satellites, and navigational and meteorological satellites ;
a welcomes the successful carrying out of the ELDO Initial Programme as well as the successful launching of the ELDO Supplementary Programme, having regard to the fact that the execution of the latter would make it possible for Europe to put into orbit a satellite about four times larger than "Early Bird" ;
b welcomes the indication of a new orientation of ESRO to the effect that it has, on behalf of CETS, undertaken a six-months' study on the technological and financial implications involved in the development and launching of experimental communications satellites ;
14. 12. Noting in this context the agreement between France and the Federal Republic of Germany on the launching in 1970 of an experimental communications satellite, hoping that this represents a means of increasing Europe's economic and industrial and scientific potential, welcomes the decision to use ELDO launchers for this project ;
15. 13. Anxious to know the result of the plan worked out by CETS in 1966 which would permit Europe to play a significant part in the global satellite communications system ;
16. Europe's future in space
17. 14. Welcoming the holding of the 1st European Space Conference in December 1966 and the 2nd European Space Conference in July 1967,
18. 15. Recommends to the Committee of Ministers :
a to invite member Governments of the Council of Europe to send representatives to that Conference, which will discuss the space activities covered by the work of ESRO, ELDO and CETS in at least one of which most of the States of the Council of Europe are Members ;
b to instruct their representatives to that Conference :
to construct, with a view to the future possible institution of a European Technological Community, a strong "model organisation" embracing ELDO, ESRO and CETS, to be an example for other organisations to follow in adapting to the future institutional and legal requirements of a European Technological Community ;
to lay down a well co-ordinated European space policy with reasonable objectives, and to provide for the necessary allocation of resources, subject to effective budgetary control ;
to agree on starting work immediately on a European communications satellite and on the completion of the Large Astronomical Satellite ;
to discuss the possibility of creating an Authority to make proposals for a unified European science and technology policy under the supervision of a Committee of Ministers and the parliamentary influence of the Assembly of the Council of Europe.
