Europe’s space ministers will be meeting on Friday afternoon 23 May to discuss space issues, in particular satellite data.
After approving conclusions on the use of satellite data, in particular from Earth observation constellations, for civil protection and crisis management, the ministers will hold an exchange of views on the same subject.
According to the draft conclusions that the EU Council is expected to adopt, the Member States recognise the value of existing programmes and instruments that support crisis management and civil protection, including the Copernicus services, and are in favour of their further development. In their opinion, there is considerable potential in the coordinated use of satellite data and services to increase resilience.
The EU Council stresses the importance of ensuring that the satellite data infrastructure is integrated or interoperable with existing systems and that standardised data formats and exchange procedures are used. It therefore recommends that the Member States concerned use existing benchmarks and standards and, if necessary, establish unified standards and support initiatives aimed at harmonising procedures while enhancing the accessibility and exploitation of spatial data results throughout the Union.
The EU Council also underlines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in Earth observation and looks forward to the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act, adopted in spring 2024 (see EUROPE 13413/37), with regard to AI solutions in the analysis of satellite data, “in particular strict compliance with data privacy and security standards”.
Finally, highlighting the importance of protecting satellite data collection and processing systems from cyberthreats, the EU Council calls for the implementation of solutions that enhance the security of sensitive data and actively monitor potential risks to mitigate potential incidents or attacks.
The ministers will then be briefed by the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), Josef Aschbacher, on the subject of space for resilience, security and crisis management.
Denmark will inform the other Member States about the space programme during its forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins on 1 July.
To see the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/gzg (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)