Brussels, 02/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 1 July, the Commission announced the withdrawal of the draft directive on the dissemination of high-resolution satellite data, despite the fact that the point had been included in the Luxembourg Presidency work programme.
In a press release, the Commission explained: “It has become apparent that reconciling different positions would require significant modifications which would affect the objectives of the original proposal”. The Commission announced that it would therefore be presenting a new initiative in 2016.
This withdrawal means that it is now inappropriate for the Luxembourg project to progress with this dossier. One source close to the dossier informed EUROPE that there are three major controversial points in the dossier. Firstly, certain member states such as France and the United Kingdom do not consider that there is a problem involving the dissemination of very high resolution satellite data in the internal market. Secondly, some member states, such as the United Kingdom, believe that the directive encroaches on national security. Finally, there are certain member states that question the very legal basis of the project, given that it involves the question of national security. Our same source explained that “Luxembourg was not particularly enthusiastic about this draft directive”.
Therefore, within the 18-month framework programme of the three Presidencies beginning in June 2014, the Luxembourg Presidency will focus on the future “integrated and global” strategy for Union space policy. The debates will particularly focus on the framework agreement between the EU and the European Space Agency (ESA) as a means of strengthening cooperation between the two organisations. Last December, certain countries, following the line of Belgium and France, lobbied for the ESA to become a European agency but this project did not obtain the support of Germany or the United Kingdom (see EUROPE 11213), which would both prefer to guarantee their respective independence. Certain projects are therefore proposing semi-integration within the EU. One European source explained “The problem here is that the ESA includes certain members that are not part of the EU”.
With regard to the latter dossier, Luxembourg is in a position to take advantage of an exceptional situation, given that together with Switzerland, it is responsible for co-chairing the European Space Agency. A “Space Council” bringing together the ESA and the EU is expected to take place during the tenure of the next presidency. (Pascal Hansens)