EU getting even more lost

I have blogged before about the disastrous Galileo project; the EU's rival to the already working and free American GPS system. The plan is now five years behind and 50% over budget. The Daily Telegraph has some news on this project. The EU will not pull out of this project, if they cannot get any private investment then more taxpayers money will be thrown at the project; it is a vanity project and the EU Commission will not lose face.

"This is not one pig flying in orbit, this is a herd of pigs with gold trotters, platinum tails and diamond eyes and we ought to be asking ourselves, where is our common sense. Are we really saying that we are so frightened of the Americans that we must fling gold bars at something that we don't even know is going to work?"
That was Gwyneth Dunwoody, chair of the House of Commons Transport Committee, speaking on the Today programme this morning.

The Committee report includes this "We fear that Galileo's status as a flagship grand project is clouding the judgement of some in relation to its true, realistic and proven merits. An atmosphere that does not allow the continued rationale for the full Galileo programme to be questioned appears to have enveloped Brussels. But no amount of perceived prestige and status derived from competing in a civilian space race and no amount of vague but euphoric anticipation of enormous economic and employment benefits can make up for rigorous and balanced analysis of costs and benefit. None of the three key EU institutions has seen fit to cool the overheated atmosphere by ensuring that proper comprehensive analyses and cost-benefit evaluations are undertaken before any further decisions are made."

and this "The history of the Galileo programme provides a textbook example of how not to run large-scale infrastructure projects. Many of the problems encountered by the project are not peculiar to the EU and can be observed across a wide range of projects carried out by Member States. However, the processes and institutions of the European Union are in danger of falling into disrepute if Galileo is allowed to continue in its present form."

Do bear in mind that if the EU Treaty is adopted by all countries then space policy becomes a EU competence and so the Commission will go ahead with the project following a qualified majority vote. Sounds fair? Well please understand that whilst there will be qualified majority voting on the policy there won't be qualified majority funding; UK taxpayers will pay for 17% of the total costs, whilst 2/3 of the voting members will make no contribution at all to a project so why not vote for it, what's the downside for them.