Europe Agrees to Fund Rival to US Navigation System

Beginning of article

EUROPE AGREED yesterday to fund a satellite navigation system that will rival America's mighty Global Positioning System (GPS), which is widely used by every self-respecting traveller from the weekend yachtsman to fighting soldiers.

The European Union's transport ministers have signed off the first EUR450m (pounds 280m) which, along with the EUR100m already authorised and the EUR550m promised by the European Space Agency, will pay for the four-year development of the Galileo system.

Loyola de Palacio, the EU's transport commissioner, said that Galileo would be compatible with the American GPS, although it will be seen as a competitor in the satellite navigation …