MEP Bart Groothuis (Renew) has asked the European Commission whether the Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk, Netherlands, should have detected Russian military satellites interfering with GPS signals across Europe since 2019, and what measures will be taken to ensure future detection and reporting.
The written parliamentary question, submitted on 24 June 2026, follows research by American scientists who identified at least 75 cases of GPS interference caused by three satellites from Russia's EKS early-warning constellation, using publicly available European data. Groothuis points out that the Galileo Reference Centre is mandated to independently monitor Galileo and other global navigation satellite systems, yet it neither detected nor reported the seven-year-long interference.
whether the Commission believes the centre should have detected the interference; to whom the centre is required to report if it does detect GPS jamming; and what measures the Commission will take to ensure future detection and reporting. The question signals a push for accountability and improved monitoring capabilities at the EU's satellite navigation oversight body.
Under parliamentary rules, the Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. The answer will indicate whether the Commission considers the centre's performance adequate and whether it plans to strengthen its mandate or resources. The issue affects EU security, aviation, maritime, and telecommunications sectors that rely on GPS, as well as the credibility of the EU's Galileo programme.