EETimes: The European Commissioner in charge of transport, Jacques Barrot, has admitted that the Galileo satellite navigation project is behind schedule because negotiations with the eight private partners who will manage the system once completed have still not been completed.
Barrot said the year-end deadline to conclude the negotiations would again be missed. Original plans called for a deal to be concluded by late 2005.
The Commissioner also revealed that the start-up budget of €1.5 billion is still about €200 million short and that talks with national governments are continuing to finalize this budget.
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