Exclusive-EU countries, lawmakers likely to clinch deal next week on satellite internet system, sources say - Yahoo Finance

By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU countries and European Parliament lawmakers are apt to scope a woody connected a 6-billion-euro ($6 billion) outer net strategy adjacent week, radical acquainted with the substance said connected Wednesday, driven by the bloc's propulsion to chopped its dependency connected overseas companies and the Ukraine war.

The European Commission announced the inaugural to physique and run a outer net strategy successful February, portion of EU manufacture main Thierry Breton's run for strategical autonomy.

The EU strategy comes amid increasing concerns astir Russian and Chinese subject advances successful outer abstraction and a surge successful outer launches.

Having its ain outer net strategy could assistance the bloc velocity up the rollout of broadband net successful Europe portion it would besides screen Africa, allowing the EU to connection countries determination an alternate to Chinese competitors

A space-based web could backmost up terrestrial networks successful the lawsuit of large outages oregon disasters, and connection connections successful places not covered by accepted work providers.

Officials from EU countries and EU lawmakers volition conscionable connected Nov. 17 successful what is expected to beryllium the past gathering to thrash retired last details, the radical said.

There is inactive disagreement connected wherever the backing for the task volition travel which means different gathering could not beryllium ruled out, they said.

The Commission wants to divert 2.4 cardinal euros from assorted EU programmes and usage unspent wealth from different EU projects, portion the backstage assemblage is expected to stump up the remaining 3.6 cardinal euros.

The projected outer net strategy could pb to the operation and motorboat of up to 170 debased orbit satellites betwixt 2025 and 2027.

The companies progressive successful this country see Elon Musk's SpaceX, Amazon's Kuiper Systems and British outer institution OneWeb. China besides has its ain constellation project.

European players see France's Eutelsat Communications, the world's third-biggest outer relation by gross which is merging with Britain's OneWeb, Arianespace and Thales Alenia Space.

($1 = 0.9979 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Sandra Maler)