EU launches free satnav system

The European Union on Thursday launched a free satellite navigation system with increased accuracy for drivers, hikers and boat owners, but also for use on farms and roadwork’s.

The service is open to any user with a GPS/SBAS compatible receiver in most of the 27 EU

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) boosts existing satellite navigation signals over Europe, improving the accuracy of the US military run GPS network from 10 metres to two metres.

The system is the EU's first contribution to satellite navigation and is a precursor of the Galileo network that the bloc has struggled to develop but hopes to have up in space by 2013.

"What we are doing today opens the door for European businesses and citizens to benefit from the myriad of better applications and new opportunities made possible by more precise navigation signals," Commissioner Antonio Tajani said.

The commission said the new system can support new applications like high-precision fertiliser spraying or automatic road-tolling, as well as personal services for the public, including systems to guide the blind.

The service is open to any user with a GPS/SBAS compatible receiver within its area of coverage, which at the moment includes most of the 27 EU states, but could potentially be extended to neighbouring nations.

No authorisation is need to use the system, which is made up of three satellites and a ground network of about 40 positioning stations and four control centres, the commission said.