Proposition 51K0467

Projet de loi portant assentiment à l'Accord entre les Etats parties à la Convention portant création d'une Agence spatiale européenne et l'Agence spatiale européenne concernant la protection et l'échange d'informations classifiées, fait à Paris le 19 août 2002.

General information ¶

Submitted by

The Senate

Submission date

Oct. 23, 2003

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

European Space Agency protection of privacy secret service international agreement public safety space navigation

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Discussion ¶

Dec. 18, 2003 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

Mr. Speaker, I see that the State Secretary for European Affairs — who may also manage the European space — is a man with a ⁇ spatial vision. I would like to know from him what the content is and what his appreciation is of the agreement that we must approve through that bill.

I think it is not an insignificant given. There is a colleague from our assembly — I think of the predecessor of colleague Langendries — who has long been here with us, who has also been Minister of Defence and who plays a special role in that agency. We have also seen the important role of the European Space Agency, especially when European spacecraft are being brought into space. The Crown Prince is also very often present when this happens. I remember the most recent landing on Earth after a mission from the base Baikonoer or Star City – whose name in Tolstoy’s language now escapes me – where we have seen that Belgium, as a small country, still also plays a ⁇ important role in that European Space Agency.

So I really wanted to know what the state secretary’s sentiment is about the approval requested by the House for that bill.

I am pleased to see that Mr. De Crem is interested in this bill. This is the first time he has spoken on this issue. But if mr. De Crem had read the text submitted to him instead of starting to make the effects of a mill, he would have realized that this bill simply allows, within the framework of the convention that we ask you to ratify at the level of the European Space Agency, to ensure the transmission of classified data between Member States, on the basis of their respective national legislation.

Since Mr. De Crem is ⁇ very attentive to the defense of the interests of the Flemish and Belgian companies in general, he will understand that if we do not put this agreement into force, the latter will not have the opportunity to participate in the contracts and contracts implemented within the framework of the European Space Agency, failing to receive the classified documents. This agreement is extremely technical. The political friends of Mr. De Crem have engaged in trying to delay the debate on this agreement in the Senate for very bad reasons. I note, however, that his colleagues senators were finally convinced since this text was approved unanimously in committee and in plenary session.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased with the statement made by the Minister on the European Space Agency. I think a small country like ours is making a ⁇ important contribution through data exchange. A small country can be big. When the stars flash in these times, and as a satellite or a spacecraft in its thick spacecraft orbits around the earth, and we know that we, as a small country, play an important role in that, then our hearts jump up of joy.