Poland to join European Space Agency

Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski has signed a law that sees Poland join the European Space Agency as its newest member, officials said. Membership in the ESA will enable Polish firms and institutions to take part in European space research projects, Xinhua reported Friday. Negotiations between Poland and the ESA for membership began Nov. 28, 2011, and concluded in April this year. Most of the negotiations revolved around the membership fee, seen as a major barrier for Poland, which as an ESA member must pay a compulsory annual fee calculated on the basis of the net national income. For Poland, this fee will be around $24 million, in addition to a one-time entrance fee of $14 million.