The 24th Consultative Committee (CC) meeting of the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (EUTELSAT IGO) took place on 14 October in Paris, its first session since the last Assembly of Parties, held in May. Spain was named head of the Committee; the CC was attended by all its other member States, i.e., France, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland.
The Executive Secretary (ES) of EUTELSAT IGO, Christian Roisse, informed the Parties of activities between March and October 2009, namely regarding supervision of the company Eutelsat S.A. In the said period the ES, as Censeur, took part in seven meetings of Eutelsat Communications directors and also in seven meeting of Eutelsat S.A. directors, confirming that the company’s operational and financial activity remains at levels deemed very satisfactory. Four new satellites should be launched by 2012 and the group’s shares stand at about 21.5 euros, the highest amount since the December 2005 takeover bid. The operator is thus able to continue fulfilling the Basic Principles in the present and long term, the Secretary said.
The Committee was informed that in June 2009 the company appointed a new chief executive officer (CEO), Michel de Rosen of France, who should replace Giuliano Berretta (to remain as non-executive president) in November. Although Michel de Rosen has no space sector experience, he does have a solid background in high level management of multinational companies, especially in the USA.
Regarding the community process of selecting mobile satellite service (MSS) operators in the S band, for which Solaris Mobile (joint venture between Eutelsat S.A. and SES Astra) was selected, the CC was informed of the existence of technical problems hindering full use of the communications subsystem in this band. The matter is being discussed with the insurers, from whom Solaris Mobile is seeking reimbursement of the investment. A partial offer of this service via W2E satellite should eventually be made.
The CC highlighted the publication last 9 June of Decree no. 2009-644 concerning the National Centre for Space Studies; the regulations framework for the so-called new space law should be completed by the end of this year. As for the EUTELSAT pension fund, the CC was informed that the Administrative Court of the International Labour Organisation should examine the dispute pitting the IGO against its former employees in the 108th session of the court, which meets between 26 October and 13 November – a ruling is expected by the end of the year.
Lastly, and at Luxembourg’s request, the issue of cancellation by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) of orbital positions still held by the IGO, due to the company’s failure to use them within the set period, was studied. The then Eutelsat CEO downplayed the question, considering it a current management situation resulting from the extreme difficulty of predicting space position usage seven or eight years beforehand. He also claimed that same is due to a stricter interpretation by the ITU Radiocommunication Sector of the regulations in force and the growing difficulty of accessing the space segment, adding that in recent years the average launch waiting period has risen to two years. In this regard he mentioned concern over the eventual bankruptcy of Sea Launch, the American launch service held by Boeing.
The next meeting will be held on 12 March 2010.
