On 27 June 2014, Greece signed the Project Arrangement concerning the ‘EU SatCom Market’, previously known as the ‘European SatCom Procurement Cell.’
It joins Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom. The Hellenic Republic will benefit from this EDA pooling initiative for commercial SatCom capacity and related services.
Giampaolo Lillo, director of the Cooperation Planning and Support directorate in EDA: “I am happy to see Greece joining the EU SatCom Market. Hellas is the 9th Member State to join the initiative. EDA offers tools for Operations and this is one more example how Member States can benefit from our efforts.”
The EU SatCom Market gives its Members the opportunity to place orders through EDA for Satellite Communications services on a ‘pay per use’ basis. EDA is acting as the central purchasing body towards a contractor (Airbus Defence & Space) on behalf of the Contributing Members, taking the burden off their shoulders. Since May 2013, a total of 16 orders have been passed for a total value of some two million euros.
Col Kosmidis Stefanos commented, “Greece is happy to be part of this initiative. We are running an EU Operational Headquarters in Larissa. Now with the EU SatCom Procurement Cell we have an additional option to cover the SatCom requirements – both nationally and on the European level.”
The renewal of the Framework Contract by September 2015 offers the opportunity to add services and opens the door for new members to this initiative.