[MUNICH] European space ministers have agreed partly to abandon their commitment to the principle of juste retour, the controversial mechanism by which countries receive industrial contracts for projects funded through the European Space Agency (ESA)in proportion to their subscription to the agency. The decision was made at a special ministerial meeting in Paris last week, and represents a victory for those who have been arguing that the award of contracts should be based more heavily on technical competence and value for money. Juste retour was introduced into ESA's convention when the agency was set up in 1975 with the aim of ensuring that each member state receives adequate support through ESA for its national aerospace industry. But the systemhas come under increasing strain over the past few years, as the allocation of contracts on a 'fair shares' basis inevitably drives up costs and reduces competition.
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