The European Union approved Oct. 12 a step that enables the European Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Supervisory Authority to complete the development phase of the Galileo program.

By a 555-27 vote (with 27 abstentions), the European Parliament adopted a non-binding report by Giles Chicester, chairman of the European Union’s Industry, Research and Energy Committee, detailing the management of the European Satellite radio-navigation program.

The Galileo Joint Undertaking should be concluded by Dec. 31, and its activities transferred to the European GNSS Supervisory Authority, which will be responsible for Galileo and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).