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BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - GPS is a handy technology, but in Europe it's become a political football. That explains why a new poll found that while only 20 percent of Europeans use satellite navigation devices, 80 percent want the EU to set up an independent service to rival the U.S.-run Global Positioning System — and use taxpayer money to complete it.
This week's release of the poll came just days ahead of key talks between EU governments on whether they should invest an extra $3.25 billion in public funds to salvage a European satellite system known as Galileo. The EU has abandoned plans to share the cost with business.
So far, only one out of 30 planned satellites that are to be part of Galileo has been launched — in December 2005. The second satellite missed its initial autumn 2006 launch date after it short-circuited during final testing.
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