Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 172, in conjunction with point (a) of the second subparagraph of Article 218(6) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament^f1,

Whereas:

In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2016/2234^f2, the Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) on the development of satellite navigation and the provision of associated services in ASECNA's area of competence for the benefit of civil aviation (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Agreement’) was signed on 5 December 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

The Union strategy aiming, on the basis of European satellite navigation programmes, on the one hand, to develop the use of this technology and provide associated services in ASECNA's area of competence, particularly by creating an autonomous satellite-based augmentation service (SBAS) for the benefit of ASECNA, and, on the other hand, and more generally to promote the use of satellite navigation on the African continent, is pursued actively under this Agreement.

The Agreement should be approved,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: