16 January 2024 – ESRE was invited to give its standpoints during a workshop organized by the DG-DEFIS of the European Commission to address the tentative space law. Such workshop was primarily intended to inform EU Member States on the state of play of the law and its possible consequences on the space industry.
Headed by the DG-DEFIS head of unit B2 on innovation and new space, the meeting also gave space to non-State actors such as the industry, SMEs, start-ups and research establishments. As for research, Laurent Leylekian (ONERA) represented the Association of European Space Research Establishment. He detailed some of the “ESRE recommendations for a possible EU Regulatory Framework on Space Safety, Sustainability and Security 2023”, particularly advocating for law provisions that would not prevent research in space and that would therefore not be detrimental on the long run for the scientific and technological leadership of the EU.
“We are very proud to be consulted by the European commission on such key issues. It really testifies how serious is the EU to engage inclusive consultations for eventually reaching a balance regulatory framework”, said the chair of ESRE Antonio Blandini (CIRA). “Space should not become a kind of Far West if we want to keep it useful for our citizens, profitable for our industries and exploitable for the advancement of knowledge”, concluded Blandini.
ESRE is fully committed to a comprehensive dialogue with the European institutions on the space law and on all other space-related issues.