The European Parliament is putting pressure on the European Commission to speed up the process of presenting a space management initiative “before” 2024, in a resolution adopted on Thursday 6 October.
In this resolution, adopted by a show of hands (meaning no precise voting results are available), MEPs confirm the message of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) (see EUROPE 12951/11) by inviting the European Commission to come up with a legislative proposal on space traffic management “before” 2024.
They also insist on the importance of this legislative proposal focusing on the governance of the EU agency’s competence system for the space programme. To this end, the European institution is invited to take advantage of the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and the current space programme to integrate the issue of space traffic management.
During the speeches, several MEPs stressed the changed context with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including Angelika Niebler (EPP, German), Carlos Zorrinho (S&D, Portuguese), Susana Solís Pérez (Renew Europe, Spanish) and Niklas Nienass (Greens/EFA, German).
For them, this new geopolitical situation should force a revision of the timetable, 8 months after the presentation of the joint communication in the field of space traffic management (see EUROPE 12891/4), which envisaged the presentation of an act by the end of 2024 (i.e. under the next European Commission). The EU Council supports the presentation of a legislative act, but without giving a date (see EUROPE 12958/24).
Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, representing Thierry Breton, the Commissioner responsible for the Internal Market (who was in Paris to talk to French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne), did not commit the European institution to any date, remaining vague on the objectives of the future legislative act.
He discussed the issue of budget, indicating that the European Commission will make “best use” of the budget allocated by the regulation on the space programme for surveillance and tracking. As a reminder, €442 million is earmarked for surveillance and tracking activities and GovSatCom (around €220 million), the government satellite communications programme.
Demilitarisation and non-appropriation of space resources
Furthermore, the European Parliament rejected an amendment tabled by The Left, which proposed a new international treaty on the non-appropriation of space resources and the demilitarisation of space. In addition, a second amendment from The Left - rejected even more overwhelmingly by the European Parliament - called on the European Commission to “set an example” by banning private and commercial space travel. The Greens/EFA supported The Left’s first amendment on demilitarisation. However, they overwhelmingly voted against the second amendment.
To read the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/3gz (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)