In 1999 a United Nations declaration called for action to improve the efficiency and security of transport, search and rescue and geodesy by promoting universal access to and compatibility of space-based navigation and positioning systems. An Action Team on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) was established in 2001 and lead to the establishment of an international committee on GNSS (ICG) to promote the use of GNSS infrastructure on a global basis.
The ICG held its first meeting in Vienna from 1 to 2 November 2006 to discuss GNSS applications including safety and economic development, particularly the efficiency and safety of transport, search and rescue, geodesy, land management and sustainable development. It was laid down to promote cooperation, as appropriate, on matters of mutual interest related to civil satellite-based positioning, navigation, timing and value-added services, as well as the compatibility and interoperability of global navigation satellite systems, while increasing their use to support sustainable development, particularly in developing countries.
The second meeting of the ICG was held from 5 to 7 September 2007 in Bangalore, India. A Providers Forum was established with the aim to promote greater compatibility and interoperability among current and future providers of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems. The current members of the Providers Forum, including China, India, Japan, the European Community, the Russian Federation and the United States, addressed key issues such as ensuring protection of GNSS spectrum and matters related to orbital debris/orbit deconfliction. The Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA), acting as the Secretariat for the ICG and Providers Forum, is maintaining all the operational work for the ICG and implementing the objectives of the working group on “Information Dissemination” of the work plan of the ICG.
