Satellite Today has learned that the European Commission approved moving the Galileo satellite navigation system into the deployment-and-operational phase. According to a report, the EC settled on a variety of matters that needed resolution before the project could proceed, including establishing a management structure and reaching interoperability agreements with the United States and its GPS system. There still are a few outstanding issues that need resolution before the system goes live in 2008 per the current schedule, the biggest one being the acceptance of a bid for the private aspect of the project’s funding. The winning bid should be announced next year.