Romania Accedes To European Space Agency Convention

The document was signed by ESA director general Jean-Jacques Dordain and Romanian Space Agency president Marius Ioan Piso.

"We are the second new member state to join this convention and we must point out its special importance for us, as it confirms Romania's technological capabilities and our political option to integrate further into a community which is extremely important to the collective security of the European Union," said Baconschi.

The European Space Agency is an inter-governmental organization founded in 1975, with 18 members (excluding Romania; 16 EU members plus Switzerland and Norway). The Czech Republic is the only other former Warsaw Pact member to have joined the ESA, having become a member in 2009.

Romania began negotiations for accession to the ESA Convention on the basis of a memorandum, of December 17, 2009, endorsed by Prime Minister Emil Boc and approved by President Traian Basescu.

"Later this year, the Government of Romania will conclude the ratification process and once the ratification instrument is deposited with the Government of France, Romania will become officially the 19th ESA Member State," says the Agency's website, www.esa.int.

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