The basic principle is that each Participant in the Programme is responsible for all costs associated with its own participation, including the procurement, installation and operation of Ground Segment equipment which they contribute to the System, and the procurement, launch and operation of satellite equipment constituting the Cospas-Sarsat Space Segment. Therefore, there are no exchanges of funds among Participants for implementing the activities pertaining to the Programme. The only exception concerns the international coordination and administration of activities of the Programme, which entails costs shared amongst all Participants.
Common Costs are associated with the organisation, administration and coordination of the Programme, including those costs incurred in financing the activities of the Council and the Secretariat. They do not include any expenses incurred for the reception and transmission of distress alert data or to perform search and rescue operations.
The International Cospas-Sarsat Programme Common Costs are funded exclusively by contributions of the governments of the Parties to the ICSPA and the countries and organisations associated with the Programme (the Participants). All States and organisations that have formally notified their association with the Programme pay an annual standard fee determined by the Council as their contribution towards the Common Costs of the Programme.
You may access our Programme Management Policy, document C/S P.011, which is available under the “Systems Documents” section of our Professional website.