The European Union officially enters the global space race: The European Commission presented the EU Space Law
Kyiv • UNN
The European Commission has presented the EU Space Law, aimed at improving the competitiveness of the European space sector, its security and sustainable development. The document unifies space regulations and aims to reduce bureaucracy.
The European Commission, as the executive body of the EU, has presented the EU Space Law. The document expands market access and strengthens space security, simplifies the European space economy and is intended to make it competitive. This is reported by UNN with reference to the European Commission.
Details
The law provides for a number of ambitious measures aimed at making Europe's space sector cleaner, safer and more competitive in Europe and its export markets.
As noted in the European Commission, European space rules are currently fragmented and based on disparate national approaches. This heterogeneity hinders innovation, reduces the share of the European market and creates additional costs.
A clear and harmonized system at the European level will take care of strengthening security, sustainability and environmental responsibility throughout the EU, while helping companies grow and scale up abroad.
The EU Space Law aims to reduce bureaucracy, protect space assets and create fair and predictable conditions for business.
The proposal is based on three key principles:
- Safety. Space, and especially near-Earth space, is becoming increasingly congested. Today, there are 11,000 satellites in orbit. And another 50,000 are expected to be launched over the next decade. At the same time, there are already more than 128 million pieces of debris circulating in space, which sharply increases the risk of collisions. This could trigger cascading accidents that would make key orbits unusable and cut off access to vital satellite services. To prevent this, the EU Space Law introduces measures to improve the tracking of space objects and limit the appearance of new debris, including requirements for the safe disposal of satellites after the end of their service life.
- Sustainability. There are more and more claims to space in the world from states, and the methods of its exploration do not always comply with international law. Space infrastructure faces increasing threats from cyberattacks and electronic interference targeting satellites, ground stations and communication lines. The EU Space Law will require all space operators to conduct a thorough risk assessment throughout the satellite's life cycle, applying cybersecurity rules and incident reporting adapted to the space sector.
- Sustainable development. With the growth of space activities, the management of resources, CO2 emissions and space debris is becoming vital. The EU Space Law will establish common rules for measuring this impact. It will ensure the consistency of verified data and encourage innovation in areas such as in-space servicing to extend the life of satellites and reduce space debris.
The new rules will apply to EU space assets, national space facilities, and non-EU operators offering services in Europe.
Regulatory requirements will be adapted to the size and maturity level of the company, and assessed taking into account the risks involved.
The legislative initiative will be discussed in the European Parliament and the European Parliament, in accordance with the procedure provided for.
Meanwhile, the European Commission will proceed with the implementation of the actions set out in the Concept, in close cooperation with the EU Member States, the EU Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and other partners, including the space industry.
The European Space Team will be created – a high-level forum that will bring together all stakeholders of the European space ecosystem to unite European achievements and opportunities related to space. Starting in 2025, the European Commission will develop a special methodology for monitoring the EU's competitiveness in the space sector.