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Switzerland
Under
the direct authority of the State Secretary for Science and Research
and in cooperation with other offices and organisations involved
in space matters, the Swiss Space Office (SSO) is the administrative
unit responsible for planning and implementing Swiss space policy,
as defined by the Federal Council. For this purpose, the SSO can
rely on the advisory Federal Space Affairs Commission (CFAS) composed
of representatives of scientific, industrial and user circles
and chairs the Interdepartmental (inter-ministerial) Committee
for Space Affairs (IKAR). The secretariat of both of these groups
is located at the SSO.
The SSO has prime responsibility for Swiss participation in programmes
and activities of the European Space Agency (ESA) and oversees
the corresponding budget. The SSO looks after Swiss interests
within ESA in political, institutional, legal, financial, industrial
matters, as well as in sciences, applications and infrastructure
programmes. Under the SSO's guidance, the Federal Office for Professional
Training and Technology (OPET), the Federal Finance Administration
(AFF) and the Foreign Ministry's Political Division III (DP III/DFAE)
give their support on technological, financial and political aspects,
respectively.
The SSO leads the Swiss Delegation to ESA and chairs the Delegation's
coordination meetings. The SSO assures that Swiss space policy
is consistent in international operational satellite utilisation
organisations such as EUTELSAT, ITSO (INTELSAT) and EUMETSAT as
well as in the respective bodies of the United Nations and the
European Union where Switzerland is represented. Based at the
Swiss Embassy in Paris, the Permanent Delegate to ESA, who represents
Switzerland in the advisory bodies and administrative authorities
of ESA, is part of the SSO. He especially assures consistency
with and consideration of Switzerland's positions and interests
within these groups. |
