Members of the European Space Agency (ESA) approved a budget for 2006 through 2008 that includes a new earth observation program, ESA announced Dec. 6. The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program will be a key European contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems initiative, ESA said.

The council, comprised of the agency’s 17 member states and Canada, also approved a measure that requires European government satellites to be placed into orbit by European launch vehicles.