On 27 May 2025, the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) participated in EU Space Days 2025 in Gdańsk, Poland. Our Director, H. Ludwig Moeller, moderated the opening panel “European Space Policy: Where Do We Stand & What Are the Challenges Ahead?” alongside Christoph Kautz, Director for Satellite Navigation & Earth Observation at the European Commission; Laurent Jaffart, Director for EO Programmes at ESA; Rodrigo de Costa, Executive Director at EUSPA; and Maciej Stadejek, Deputy Managing Director – Director Security & Defence Policy at EEAS.
The panel provided different perspectives on Europe’s challenges ahead, notably:
- The importance of space for security and defence – a likely game changer for Europe – for peace in Ukraine, Europe and beyond.
- The development of a downstream market as an engine of growth for commercial as well as institutional markets, such as transport.
- The role of industry in public-private partnerships to drive innovation, including dual-use critical technologies.
- The augmentation of Europe’s efforts in space diplomacy with partners like Japan, South Korea, and others.
It has become evident that a scale-up in public funding of space by a factor of 2 and more will be required, and that immediate results from ESA’s Ministerial Council 2025 – targeting 23B EUR for 2026-2028 – are key, next to national efforts and a yet more ambitious EU Space Programme under the next multiannual financial framework (MFF).
The panel concluded by referring to the history host city of the event, Gdańsk, home of Solidarnosc, marking the start of a new age, and called for all actors to join forces, EU, Member States, ESA, industry. ‘It takes a village’, as ESPI phrases it.
Watch the full livestream of the programme here. This panel convenes from approximately 10:47-48:55.
