Yet again a BBC article on the impact of BREXIT is, to say the least, misleading.
“… the UK was told it would not be able to access the EU-wide programme after Brexit next March.”
My friend Philip Haines, who knows all about satellites, has posted this in response.
“A short reality check on this story…
“It comes after the UK was told it would not be able to access the EU-wide programme after Brexit next March” – Simply not true, in fact if you have an iPhone 8 or an iPhone X (and probably some other phones) then you’re already accessing Galileo today as the Public Service is available fee of charge to everybody, globally, just like the US GPS service. What we will no longer have AUTOMATIC access to is the Public Regulated Service i.e. the military grade service which is only automatically available to EU Member States. Once we leave the EU we will have to request access to this just like Norway, Switzerland, the USA, Japan and all of our other allies who are not members of the EU. Access will be granted.
“The UK has already spent 1.4bn euros (£1.2bn) on Galileo” – This is true, the UK has spent this money IN THE UK creating UK employment, UK GDP, UK tax revenue and all of the socioeconomic benefits around that. The studies show that public investment in satellite navigation generates a total GDP of £8-15 for each £1 of public investment, and as UK government taxes GDP at around 34.4% over time the government makes a profit on investment in satellite navigation.
So please, less Galileo-bashing and more informed and balanced journalism.
Yr Hen Ddyn Grwgnachlyd 