Brexit SNUB: Airbus BLASTS EU plot to BLOCK UK involvement in space programme
AIRBUS has hit out at EU plans to keep Britain out of pan-European space and defence programs after Brexit and warned the UK’s involvement is critical to the partnership.
'It's unwise' Liam Fox warns EU over Galileo block
Tom Enders, Airbus chief executive, called on Britain and the European Commission to “urgently” find a solution with exactly one year to go until Brexit.
He called on Brussels to reconsider plans to exclude Britain from the €10billion EU Galileo space programme after Brexit.
He said: “The UK’s continued participation in the EU Galileo programme will ensure security and defence ties are strengthened for the benefit of Europe as a whole, during a period of increasing threats to our security and geopolitical instability."
He added: “Maintaining and enhancing security and defence ties across Europe is vital for all citizens across the continent.
“Irrespective of the UK’s membership or not of the EU, the UK is an important part of Europe geographically, economically and culturally, and must play an integral role for our mutual security.
“Moreover, Britain is one of only two serious powers in Europe.”
He added Britain needs to “be able to continue in current and future European security and defence programmes to strengthen the successful partnership that already exists”.
His warning comes just days after Prime Minister Theresa May spoke out about Britain being left out of EU space projects Galileo and Copernicus after Brexit.
She said: “It’s not just in the UK's interest to be able to continue to participate… it's in the interests of the EU, too."
UK space chiefs have already warned European companies are poised and ready to take over work being done in Britain once the UK leaves the EU.
British companies are working on an eighth share of the work on the Galileo satellite project.
Graham Peters, chairman of trade association UKspace, said Britain was already losing work on Galileo as European consortia forming to bid for new contracts were choosing not to include UK companies.
He told Reuters: “The European Commission is basically saying we might become a third country (non-EU country) and as a third country there are particular activities we cannot do which are related to security.”