The EU’s expanding role in space is crucial for its political, strategic, and economic ambitions, necessitating enhanced policy and governance approaches for current and future flagship space programs.
The report highlights the EU’s increasing involvement in space activities, which support European integration and international influence. The EU should address innovation in both upstream and downstream segments, involving institutional and private actors for sustainable growth. It assesses the current flagship programs, Copernicus and Galileo, and potential new flagship programs in three areas, each with unique strategic and socioeconomic benefits:
- Space exploration;
- Access to space; and
- Space security
By addressing governance challenges and fostering innovation, the EU can enhance its role as a key space actor. The report also suggests transparent and inclusive decision-making involving all major stakeholders and public engagement to implement new space initiatives. Lastly, the report recommends European diplomacy to pool expertise worldwide to enhance GNSS performance and improve user interfacing mechanisms.