Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it is within the terms of the draft withdrawal agreement and implementation period for the EU to exclude UK firms from bidding for contracts for the Galileo programme.

The draft Withdrawal Agreement states that ‘where such participation [in an information exchange, procedure or programme] would grant access to security related security information that only Member States are to have knowledge of, in such exceptional circumstances [….] shall be understood as not including the UK’.

We do not agree that this provision should apply to Galileo. The UK is an integral partner in the programme through our provision of expertise and value. Both sides are seeking an arrangement that provides strong EU-UK cooperation in the fields of foreign, security and defence policy.

We have made clear our desire for the UK’s involvement in EU space programmes to continue as part of our new security partnership, in a way that is fair and open to the UK and UK industry. The UK is a world leader in satellite and secure software technology and expects to discuss all options for future collaboration in EU space programmes as part of the exit negotiations - including full participation in Galileo.

This is a view shared by stakeholders in the industry, for example the Chief Executive of Airbus who recently wrote that ‘Britain and the EU nations must adopt a more pragmatic stance on flagship space and defence programmes that seek to enable closer working between militaries. At present the UK faces being left out, which benefits only those who pose security risks to all of us.’