On Tuesday 15 February the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) presented a Joint Communication on Space Traffic Management (STM) with the aim of strengthening European autonomy in monitoring debris and objects in orbit and thereby enhancing the EU’s influence in this area on the international scene. The Commission wants to present a proposal for a legislative act on Space Traffic Management by the end of 2024.
This communication is of paramount importance to guarantee the EU’s autonomy in space, to protect its in-orbit infrastructure at a time when space is increasingly “congested” and “contested”, as well as being cluttered with debris, Thierry Breton, the Commissioner for the Internal Market, stressed.
“We want to set standards that are our own standards and that will then allow us to discuss with those who would like to have them, but who do not yet have them or who may already have them”, the Commissioner told EUROPE. He said that this was the only way to establish a good “balance of power” with other international partners. The Commissioner told a press conference that it was time for such a communication, as the EU has fallen behind other players, referring to the US (see EUROPE 12798/23).
This communication is part of the Action Plan to create synergies between civil, defence and space industries (see EUROPE 12663/13) and has five objectives: - to provide an operational definition of Space Traffic Management; - to define civil and military requirements in the field of STM; - to strengthen the infrastructure of space surveillance and tracking services (SST); - to establish an EU framework of regulations and standards; - to promote the EU approach to STM at a global level.
Creation of a dedicated forum and presentation of a legislative act
By mid-2022, the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, intend to set up a consultation mechanism with all EU stakeholders in order to feed back the expectations of civilian and military sectors by early 2023.
By mid-2023, the Commission intends to further develop the architecture analysis of future Space Traffic Management needs, including resources to improve the efficiency of the EU SST consortium with, if necessary, the deployment of additional resources. In addition, the Commission wants to develop new services by 2025 and new technologies, with the help of a dedicated forum.
Indeed, the European Commission wants to create a forum to strengthen coordination between Member States, to develop new EU and international standards and to provide a toolbox to assist Member States in granting licences requested by satellite operators.
By the end of 2023, it is expected that a first “limited” set of obligations will be in place. By mid-2024, the Commission hopes to identify areas for inclusion in a legislative act on the subject, which should be presented by the end of 2024. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)