Will Space Sit in the European Parliament?

On 4 June 2024, ESPI hosted its first Brussels-based event “Will Space Sit at the European Parliament?”, presenting and discussing the findings of its latest research under the same title. The event took place at the Concert Room of the Royal Library of Belgium, at Mont des Arts 28, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.

Next to European nation states, the EU plays a key role in policy definition among European space actors. ESPI’s newest study “Will Space Sit at the European Parliament?” aims at providing insights into the role held by space within the wider political debate. ESPI wants to promote the discussion regarding the role of space in public discussions, and the EU space policy more broadly.

The full event agenda can be found here.

The event was part of ESPI’s ambition of further facilitating space policy discussions at the heart of the European Union, in line with the recent establishment of ESPI’s presence in Brussels.

The event was supported by the Belgian Space Policy Office (BELSPO) and the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR).

Key Takeaways from the event include:

• There is a growing value of consistent and objective monitoring of political processes related to space, including with relation to the upcoming development of priorities for the new European Commission and Hearings in the European Parliament.  

• Space is increasingly addressed through the lens of its impact in other policy domains and its utility is seen as a part of a solution to crises facing Europe. Space should therefore be more frequently addressed beyond just the ITRE committee and the COMPET configuration of the Council. 

• Europe must develop native military space capabilities, notably in SSA and Earth Observation, leveraging the skills and competencies of multiple actors (national space agencies, EDA, ESA Commission, EIB), taking into account the full spectrum from digital platforms to critical components.  

• Space is expected to feature even more strongly in national election campaigns as it is most often linked to regional industrial policies and industry clusters. Most often, this is what transforms politicians to become champions of space. 

• Aligned with its mandate to provide recommendations and policy options to European policymakers, ESPI should aim to address inform and support incoming MEPs and Commission executives on priorities for the European space ecosystem. 

These takeaways reflect ESPI’s interpretation of the statements and discussions held at the event and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of individual speakers or participants.