A hitchhiker’s guide to Galileo and Brexit

The UK and EU will struggle to negotiate a security partnership, despite both sides wanting one. They have encountered their first real disagreement, Britain’s participation in the EU’s space programme Galileo. The EU does not want to rely on British industry for technology used in Galileo. The UK is threatening to retaliate by stopping tech transfers to the Union altogether, and building a competing satellite programme. The debate over Galileo demonstrates the problems that underlie defence negotiations: it is difficult to disentangle economic and security interests, and the EU is reluctant to grant concessions to a close strategic ally like Britain beyond those it offers other third countries outside the EU, even if it is in its own security interest to do so. The fight has already corroded goodwill on both sides – even though negotiations over security have not officially begun.

ESO: Background information: Britain can be excluded from Galileo Public Regulated Service http://www.europeansources.info/record/uk-can-be-excluded-from-galileo-public-regulated-service/

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