The Plan for European Co-operating States (PECS) Towards a new partnership between ESA and Romania

1. The Plan for European Co-operating States (PECS) Towards a new partnership between ESA and Romania Bernard ZUFFEREY, PECS Office, ESA-ESTEC bernard.zufferey@esa.int Tel: +31 71 565 34 98

2. ESA Central and Eastern European Co-operation . • Since beginning of 90’s, ESA negotiated and concluded co-operation agreements with some of the CEE countries; all these countries gained an extensive space experience during INTERCOSMOS collaboration period. • Co-operation agreements are legal instruments with limited scope. • H and CZ were not satisfied with these agreements and asked ESA for a more specific collaboration. • ESA accepted these two countries on the PRODEX optional programme.

3. PRODEX Optional Programme • French acronym for “PROgramme de Développement d’EXpériences scientifiques” (Scientific experiment development programme). • ESA responsible for development of spacecraft structures, launchers and ground support infrastructure. • Payload or experiment development to be put on board of spacecraft is the responsibility of national space agencies (DLR, CNES, etc.). • Small member States have entrusted ESA with their national space programme by creating PRODEX. • PRODEX member States asked ESA to reconsider the status of H and CZ.

4. PECS Background • October 1999, ESA and HSO organised a two-day workshop in Budapest. • Scope : to analyse existing relations between ESA and its partners in Central and Eastern Europe, namely H, CZ, PL and RO. • Finding : step between present co-operation agreement and full membership is far too big to be bridged easily by CEE countries. • Wish : ESA is requested to propose an intermediate step that would better suit the needs of CEE countries.

5. PECS Terms of reference • The “Plan for European Co-operating States”(PECS) has been decided by ESA Council on 21/22 March 2001 • “European Co-operating States”(ECS) is a new status granted to European States that want to accede to ESA Convention • This new status is conditional to the participation to PECS • Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania have been declared admissible for a participation to PECS • Participation in PECS is exclusive of any other programmes

6. ECS and PECS • European Co-operating State (ECS) is a status • Plan for European Co-operating States (PECS) is the whole of projects to be carried out by an eligible participating State in order to benefit from the ECS status

7. Overall objective of PECS The overall objective is to : • associate the ECS participants with ESA programmes and activities • in order to prepare them in the most efficient manner for possible future accession to the ESA Convention

8. Specific objectives of PECS • Develop co-operation between ECS scientific and applications user communities on one hand and ESA Member States on the other hand • Create and strengthen the respective industrial expertise and capacity in order to allow a fair and equitable industrial participation in future Agency programmes after accession to ESA Convention • Provide indirect access to existing ESA programmes and activities • Foster the understanding of ESA’s organisation and functioning (including the use of EURO), of European space products, standards and procedures • Ensure coherence between the space activities of ECS participants and ESA Member States (no duplication of activities)

9. Areas covered by PECS • Space science (astronomy, astrophysics, solar system exploration, solar-terrestrial physics) • Earth observation (environmental monitoring, meteorology, aeronomy, geodesy) • Telecommunication and navigation (service demonstrations, ARTES 3) • Life and physical sciences (space biology and medicine, material processing) • Ground segment engineering and utilisation

10. Type of activities covered by PECS • Scientific projects and/or experiments • Data exploitation • Space technology • Support to SME’s

11. Admissible PECS projects • Projects selected by ESA in reply to AO’s (http://www.esa.int) or to ITT’s (http://emits.esa.int). • Contributions to running ESA selected projects in members States.But in all cases, remember the golden rule: • Only an ESA selected project is admissible for a PECS funding.

12. Administrative structure of PECS • Small office attached to PRODEX (historical reasons) • A dedicated PECS Committee is set up to monitor the execution of the Plan • This Committee is composed of representatives of ECS countries and observers of ESA Member States • A detailed list of activities is defined in a rolling five-year plan • Minimum financial contribution is expected (5M€ over 5 years) • Total carry forward procedure for unspent budget • ESA industrial policy principles apply (non-distortion of competition, complementarity with existing ESA activities)

13. PECS Participating State’s Advantages • Secures funding and provides continuity for national space related activities over a 5 year period • Allows national industry to access EMITS and respond to ESA ITT’s • Guarantees a return of contribution percentage in the form of contracts • Gives access to ESA technological knowledge and support (if needed) • Stimulates industrial activities and cooperation at national and international levels • Makes the participant more familiar with ESA standards and procedures • Prepares for full ESA membership in order to be able to compete at equal level with other Member States for industrial return

14. Participation of Romania in PECS – Next steps • ECS Agreement negotiation between ESA and Romania (20-04-05) • Signature of the ECS Agreement • One year to select and approve the projects to be carried out in PECS • Signature of the PECS Charter (list of projects and corresponding budget) • First Romanian PECS contracts in 2007 (?)

15. Conclusion • Romania is on its way to become a relevant ESA partner in the next decade • PECS is the first step towards this goal • ESA membership confers automatic access to ESA Space Science programme as a mandatory activity • In order to prepare for this reality, it would be desirable that at least 50% of the Romanian PECS contribution should be dedicated to Space Science • ACCESS TO FUNDAMENTAL SPACE SCIENCE OFFERED BY ESA SHOULD BE BORNE CONTINUOUSLY IN MIND