The ESA Council Meeting at Ministerial Level which took place in Toulouse on 18 20 October was of critical significance to the future of European space activities. This meeting, Chaired by Mr Yvan Ylieff, the Belgian Minister for Science Policy, was attended by Ministers and Senior Representatives of the Agency's fourteen Member States and Canada (a Cooperating State). Representatives of the Commission of the European Union, Eumetsat and Eutelsat were present as observers.
During their three days in Toulouse, the Ministers took far-reaching decisions - decisions that will shape the future of ESA's Programmes for decades to come - in five major areas:
Particularly gratifying for the Agency was the strong will shown on the part of so many of the Ministers to overcome the prevailing barriers both financial and political and to reach an agreement that will allow Europe's space activities to continue to develop, with a renewed vigour and spirit of international cooperation and, within the remit of ESA.
Importantly, the decisions that the Ministers have taken in Toulouse relate not only to the programmes to be carried out until the end of this century, but also to programmes that will continue into the first decade of the next one. This means that ESA's horizon now stretches much further into the future with a greater degree of certainty than has been the case in recent years.
The Agency's Mandatory Programme, which covers both the Scientific Programme and the General Budget, was the subject of lengthy discussion, a unanimous vote by the Ministers being required to secure its approval.
Despite the strong support for the ESA Science Programme voiced by many of the Ministers present, who see it as both a fundamental and a highly successful element of the Agency's past and future activities, the necessary unanimity could not be achieved for the budget proposal that was initially tabled. In order to achieve unanimity, a compromise proposal had to be put to the vote.
The compromise reached was that the budget for Science will be frozen for the next five years, with no increase for inflation except in so far as it exceeds 3%. The Science budget will therefore be subject to annual review, with a more extensive review in mid-1998.
During the efforts to reach the final compromise, many Ministers expressed their concerns that the Horizon 2000 and Horizon 2000 Plus Programmes should continue to be supported to the maximum extent possible.
Recognising the significant scientific, technological and political benefits that will accrue to Europe from participation in the Space Station Programme, the Ministers agreed to fund the ESA contribution to the project. They subscribed, with immediate effect, the Declaration covering the development of the Columbus Orbital Facility (COF), and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to be launched by Ariane-5 to service the Station. They also approved definition studies for a Crew Transport Vehicle (CAV) and preparation activities for Station utilisation. In addition, the exploitation programme, which will run from 2002 to 2013, was also very clearly defined. The Participating States were able after some constructive horse-trading between several of the major contributors to enter into binding commitments, despite the fact that the programme will not start in earnest until 1999 or 2000 and some progress remains to be made on various aspects, with clear conditions having to be met in our relations with the Space Station partners.
The Ministers also endorsed the Microgravity Facilities for Columbus (MFC) Programme which, although not planned to start until 1997, has already been subscribed.
On several occasions during their Toulouse meeting, the Ministers stressed the importance they attach to autonomous European access to space. Ariane-5 is a critical factor in this respect and the Ministers had little hesitation in subscribing with immediate effect the three Declarations that were presented to them, covering:
In addition, on the eve of the Ministerial Meeting, agreement was reached on funding to cover the latest contingencies in the Ariane-5 Development Programme.
The Ministers discussed ESA's Industrial Policy in some detail. In recent years there have been considerable imbalances in the industrial returns of several Member States, and that of Italy in particular. Consequently, the Ministers have invited me to review ESA's industrial procurement practices in order both to solve the return problems and at the same time generate greater competition. They have also initiated a Council Working Group composed of high-level representatives from the Member States, to improve the Agency's Industrial Policy. Based on the final report of this Group, I will be formulating a proposal for reform, to be put before the next Council at Ministerial Level.
The Ministers decided that from 1 January 1997, the Agency will gradually move over to a financial system based on the ECU (European Currency Unit), which will become its only currency from 2000 onwards, both for the payment of the Member States contributions and for ESA's industrial contracts and invoicing. This should prove a real step forward, providing much greater stability in the Agency's day-to-day financial operations. It should certainly alleviate many of the problems we have had with wide fluctuations in European currencies and their negative influences on industrial return. The problem of what in ESA jargon are known as retroactive adjustments will hopefully disappear and no longer be a political issue.
As far as the longer-term future of the Agency is concerned, the Ministers welcomed the report of the Long-Term Space Policy Committee (LSPC). This Committee was created by the ESA Council in June 1993 with the mandate to prepare a report on European space policy after the year 2000 for the Toulouse meeting. It was asked specifically to address the need for a strategic vision for European space policy, responding both to the challenges and threats facing humanity in the next century. In endorsing the LSPC's report, the Ministers also expressed the wish that such long-term strategic reflection on European space policy be continued.
As far as the nearer term future is concerned, my proposals to:
were welcomed by the Council. I was also asked to intensify the dialogue with other space organisations in Europe, in particular the Commission of the European Union, to ensure greater synergy between our respective activities and thereby reinforce Europe's already strong position in worldwide space activities.
As you will have realised from the above, a great deal of decision-making was packed into the Toulouse Ministerial Meeting and, despite what amounted to more than slight differences between the positions of the various Member States on a number of issues prior to the meeting, an overall agreement has been achieved that has removed the indecision that has plagued the Agency in recent times.
Much work on the various programmes that were agreed in Toulouse now lies before us if we are to make them a success. A clear message that emerged from the Executive's discussion with the Ministers is that they have confidence in ESA, but we in turn must strive to adapt as an organisation to today's political and financial realities. The Agency already has a Transformation Programme in place with the objective of adapting to the current economic difficulties affecting our Member States, including reducing both our internal and industrial costs.
All in all then, the 1995 Ministerial Conference has set ESA a bold new set of objectives and ambitions. It is now up to the Agency and its dedicated staff to prove to the Ministers that they were right in giving us a clear, revitalised and challenging mandate for the future.
The Toulouse Ministerial Council Meeting in session
Ministers and Senior Representatives of the ESA Member States gathered outside Toulouse Civic Hall, venue for the 1995 Ministerial Conference.
Front row (from left to right): G. Salvini (Italy), I. Taylor (United Kingdom), G.J. Wijers (The Netherlands), A. Breiby (Norway), F. Fillon (France), Y. Ylieff (Belgium), J. Rüttgers (Germany), J.M. Eguiagaray (Spain), J.-M. Luton (Director General, ESA)
Back row: K. Larsen (Denmark), P.G. Winters (Chairman of ESA Council at Delegate Level), S. Heckscher (Sweden), W.M. Evans (President, Canadian Space Agency), P. Rabbitte (Ireland), R. Kneucker (Austria), A. Kalliomäki (Finland), M. Parr (Norway)
Minister Rüttgers of Germany talks live with ESA Astronaut Thomas Reiter aboard the Mir space station, from Toulouse. On the right is Minister Ylieff of Belgium, who chaired the Toulouse Meeting
The Press Centre at the Ministerial Conference
ESA Bulletin Nr. 84.