European ministers responsible for space will meet in Brussels on Thursday 23 May for a half-day session, which will be followed by a Joint Council of ministers from the EU and European Space Agency (ESA) Member States, the first since 2020. A Council of Ministers of ESA member countries will also take place.
At their EU27 session, the ministers will hold a policy debate on the forthcoming space law, which the Commission is expected to present soon, focusing on security, resilience and sustainability.
Eleven Member States have national space legislation and others are in the process of drafting such legislation.
According to a note from the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, discussions should focus on how best to ensure that EU space legislation reinforces the competitiveness of the EU space industry and how to make the most of this legislation to strengthen the resilience of space systems. The Presidency believes that it is necessary to reinforce the competitiveness of the European space industry, particularly with regard to SMEs and start-ups, and that EU legislation should not overregulate the industry’s activities or apply equally to all industrial players, “with proportionality being a key consideration”.
It also believes that, in the current geopolitical context, it is necessary to enhance the level of protection and resilience of space systems in a consistent manner. “Resilience and competitiveness should come hand in hand”, according to the document.
Pointing out that the main international space players have intensified their regulatory measures, the Belgian Presidency of the Council warns that action must be taken as quickly as possible to ensure that the EU space industry is not forced to follow standards or norms imposed by other jurisdictions.
Highlighting the challenges posed by the congestion of certain orbits and the risk of cyber-attacks and electronic interference targeting space infrastructures, amplified by geopolitical events, the Presidency believes that it is also “crucial to reduce the environmental impact of space activities and to become less dependent on non-EU technologies and raw materials”.
See the note: https://aeur.eu/f/cai
Hungary is due to present its work programme in the field of space under its Presidency of the EU Council, which begins on 1 July, and the Director General of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher, is due to make a presentation to ministers on the theme of ‘Accelerating the use of space in Europe’.
Ministers are also expected to approve Council conclusions on strengthening Europe’s competitiveness through space.
This topic will be discussed again at the afternoon session between EU and ESA ministers.
According to a draft set of conclusions seen by Agence Europe, Europeans should return to the question of space’s contribution to competitiveness and societal challenges.
In particular, they should highlight “the transformation of the space sector on a global scale and the unprecedented role of space in determining Europe’s prosperity, competitiveness, safety, security and autonomous decision-making”.
Recalling the contribution of space to Europe’s overall economic growth and prosperity, and the fact that the European space sector has significant commercial and innovation potential, with a growing but still limited level of private commitment, the Council should welcome the potential for growth and diversification of the new European space. The conclusions also highlight the untapped potential of the space sector to boost Europe’s economy and competitiveness.
The Council should also highlight the need to boost the competitiveness of the European space sector. In its view, the evolving needs of users in non-space sectors and commercial markets are a key driver for the European space sector.
The Council should call on the private sector to capitalise on investment in the European space industry and to support disruptive innovation and advanced technological readiness. The stability and predictability of the commercial space environment will encourage more private investment, and public authorities can support the development of new commercial opportunities in space, it is expected to add. The conclusions also stress the importance of open, fair and transparent public procurement procedures that support the development of a diversified and innovative European space industry.
The Council should emphasise that space is a “backbone” of European action on a global scale, expressing its conviction that ESA, the EU and their Member States should strive, where appropriate, in consultation with the private sector, to establish progressive global rules and best practices in space “to enable a European impact and a strong position on global space governance issues, including creating a sustainable space environment”.
It should recognise the urgent need to strengthen European autonomy in terms of security, safety and resilience in and through space.
Finally, it believes it is important, on the basis of the EU-ESA Framework Agreement and in close consultation with all Member States, to strengthen the ESA-EU strategic partnership in its various forms of cooperation, with a view to fostering a globally competitive European space economy in a very demanding international market.
The EU-ESA meeting will also be an opportunity to celebrate 20 years of cooperation between the EU and ESA.
On the eve of this ‘Space’ day, the European External Action Service and ESA will sign an agreement on information security. Similarly, service contracts for the return of goods to low-Earth orbit are due to be signed, and around 10 countries are expected to sign up to the European Zero Debris Charter. The first two missions for ESA astronauts from the class of 2022 will also be announced. Finally, a contract will be signed for ESA’s Vigil space weather mission, to better predict the arrival of solar flares and their impact, in order to ensure the resilience of critical infrastructures. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)