View source for European Union Space Programme

{{Short description|EU funding programme}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox space program by country
| name = European Union Space Programme
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| formed = 2021 (as EUSP) <br />2007 (as ESP)
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| manager = [[European Union Agency for the Space Programme|EUSPA]]
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| spaceport = [[Guiana Space Centre]]
| budget = €1.997-2.221bn<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/eu-budget/performance-and-reporting/programmes-performance/european-space-programme-performance_en |title=EU Space Programme – Performance &#124; European Commission |publisher=Ec.europa.eu |date=2022-06-07 |accessdate=2022-08-29}}</ref>
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The '''European Union Space Programme'''<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.euspa.europa.eu/newsroom/news/new-european-union-space-programme-successful-european-cooperation-paradigm | title = The new European Union Space Programme a successful European cooperation paradigm | publisher = EUSPA | date = 22 June 2021 }}</ref> is an EU funding programme established in 2021 along with its managing agency, the [[European Union Agency for the Space Programme]],<ref>[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021R0696&from=EN Regulation (EU) 2021/696 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing the Union Space Programme and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013 and (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision No 541/2014/EU]</ref> in order to implement the 
pre-existing '''European Space Policy''' established on 22 May 2007 when a joint and concomitant meeting at the ministerial level of the [[Council of the European Union]] and the Council of the [[European Space Agency]], known collectively as the ''European Space Council'', adopted a ''Resolution on the European Space Policy''.<ref>
{{cite web | url = http://www.esa.int/esaCP/Pr_21_2007_p_EN.html | title = Europe's Space Policy becomes a reality today | date = 22 May 2007 | publisher = ESA}}</ref> The policy had been jointly drafted by the [[European Commission]] and the [[Director General of the European Space Agency]]. This was the first common political framework for space activities established by the [[European Union]] (EU).<ref>{{cite web|title=Resolution on the European Space Policy, ESA Director General's Proposal for the European Space Policy|url=http://www.esa.int/esapub/br/br269/br269.pdf|date=June 2007|access-date=5 November 2022|publisher=European Space Agency}}</ref>

Each of the [[List of European Union member states|member state]]s have pursued to some extent their own national space policy, though often co-ordinating through the independent [[European Space Agency]] (ESA). [[European Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry|Enterprise and Industry Commissioner]] [[Günter Verheugen]] has stated that even though the EU is "a world leader in the technology, it is being put on the defensive by the [[United States]] and [[Russia]] and that it only has about a 10 year technological advantage on [[People's Republic of China|China]] and [[India]], which are racing to catch up."<ref>[http://euobserver.com/9/23848 EU expected to unveil space policy before summer] euobserver.com</ref><ref>[http://euobserver.com/9/23883 EU to target satellite observation in space race] euobserver.com</ref>

==Background==
The European Union stated several reasons its space policy would be beneficial, which include:<ref name=Eceuropa />
* Meeting key societal challenges: The space sector provides public services to everyone in the EU. It can solve societal challenges such as climate change, sustainable consumption of natural resources, and safety and security.<ref name=Eceuropa />
* jobs and industrial growth: The EU has over 230,000 jobs in the space sector, it has a worth of over €50 billion to the EU economy<ref name=Eceuropa />
* Ensuring EU autonomy: By having access to space, Europe can stay competitive in business, in security, and form a stronger presence on the global stage.<ref name=Eceuropa />

===The 2007 communication===
A communication outlining the policy was released on 26 April 2007 which set out orientations for:<ref>[http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/575&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en EU needs powerful space policy to face global challenges] europea.eu</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|title=Announcement: server inaccessibility – European Commission|url=http://sorry.ec.europa.eu/|access-date=4 June 2021|website=sorry.ec.europa.eu}}</ref>

* Coordinating more effective civil space programmes between ESA, EU and their respective Member States to ensure value for money and eliminate unnecessary duplication, thus meeting shared European needs.
* Developing and exploiting European space applications such as GALILEO and GMES (Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security) and satellite communication applications.
* Preserving EU autonomous access to space.
* Increasing synergy between defense and civil space programmes and technologies and pursue, in particular, interoperability of civil/military systems.
* Ensuring that space policy is coherent with, and supports the EU's external relationships.

The policy expresses support for an operational and autonomous [[GMES|Global Monitoring for Environment and Security]] (GMES) [[satellite]] capability before the end of 2008, and for a [[global navigation satellite system]] under European civil control, i.e. the [[Galileo positioning system]].<ref name=Eceuropa>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/space_en|title = Space|date = 5 July 2016}}</ref>

== Components of the programme ==
=== Satellite systems ===
====Galileo====
{{main|Galileo (satellite navigation)}}
The European Union has already started work on a project to create the '''Galileo positioning system''', to break dependence on the United States [[GPS]] system. This is in cooperation with ESA as well as other countries.<ref name=Eceuropa />

====EGNOS====
{{main|European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service}}
The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) provides navigational assistance to aviation, maritime and land-based users over most of Europe. The system supplements data from [[Global Positioning System|GPS]], [[GLONASS]], and [[Galileo (satellite navigation)|Galileo]] by monitoring and making corrections to their positioning data<ref name=Eceuropa />

====Copernicus ====
{{main|Copernicus Programme}}
Copernicus is a European system for monitoring the Earth and consists of earth observation satellites and in situ sensors. The program provides services in the thematic areas of land, marine, atmosphere, climate change, emergency management, and security<ref name=Eceuropa />

==== GOVSATCOM ====
The European Union Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) programme aims at providing secure and cost-efficient communications capabilities to security and safety critical missions and operations managed by the European Union and its Member States, including national security actors and EU Agencies and institutions.

==== IRIS² ====
{{main|IRIS²}}
IRIS² is planned third EU's satellite constellation (after Galileo and Copernicus) aimed mainly to enhanced communication services.

==== SSA ====
Space situational awareness (SSA) monitors and protects space assets by providing data on space hazards. It is crucial for the European economy and for EU citizens who rely on space-based capabilities in their daily lives (navigation, communication, etc.).

SSA covers three main areas:

* Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) of man-made objects.
* Space Weather (SWE) monitoring and forecast.
* Near-Earth Objects (NEO) monitoring (only natural space objects).

== Other EU programmes involved in space research ==
=== Horizon Europe ===
The [[Horizon Europe]] programme is the source of funding for a variety of projects, such as:
* Monitoring agricultural sustainability with SIGMA and AGRICAB projects<ref name=Eceuropa />
* Analyzing the chemical composition of Earth's oceans:  OOSS2015<ref name=Eceuropa />
* Supporting urban planners in the coordination of city resources:  DECUMANUS<ref name=Eceuropa />

==EU/ESA Space Council==
The [[Flag of Europe]] is flown in space during missions of the [[European Space Agency]]. It was flown by ESA's Andre Kuipers during Delta mission.

The political perspective of the [[European Union]] (EU) was to make ESA an [[Agency of the European Union|agency of the EU]] by 2014;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/esapub/br/br268/br268.pdf |id=BR-268 |date=September 2007 |title=Agenda 2011 |website=ESA.int |access-date=11 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225015/http://www.esa.int/esapub/br/br268/br268.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref> however, this date was not met. The EU member states provide most of ESA's funding, and they are all either full ESA members or observers.

[[File:ESA and EU.png|thumb|{{legend|#81c846|ESA and EU member states}}{{legend|#b94954|ESA-only members}}{{legend|#3b54b1|EU-only members}}]]
ESA is not an agency or body of the European Union, and has non-EU countries (Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) as members. There are however ties between the two, with various agreements in place and being worked on, to define the legal status of ESA with regard to the EU.<ref name="dqbiya">{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/ESA_and_the_EU |title=ESA and the EU |publisher=European Space Agency |date=9 October 2008}}</ref>

There are common goals between ESA and the EU. ESA has an EU liaison office in Brussels. On certain projects, the EU and ESA co-operate, such as the [[Galileo (satellite navigation)|Galileo]] satellite navigation system. Space policy has since December 2009 been an area for voting in the [[European Council]]. Under the European Space Policy, later implemented as the European Union Space Programme, the EU, ESA and its Member States committed themselves to increasing co-ordination of their activities and programmes and to organising their respective roles relating to space.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cyprus-mail.com/node/34057 |title=Opening up the gate to space |access-date=30 August 2009 |work=[[Cyprus Mail]] |first=Lucy |last=Millett |date=29 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130215192730/http://www.cyprus-mail.com/node/34057 |archive-date=15 February 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The Lisbon Treaty of 2009 reinforces the case for space in Europe and strengthens the role of ESA as an R&D space agency. Article 189 of the Treaty gives the EU a mandate to elaborate a European space policy and take related measures, and provides that the EU should establish appropriate relations with ESA.

Former Italian astronaut [[Umberto Guidoni]], during his tenure as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] from 2004 to 2009, stressed the importance of the European Union as a driving force for space exploration, "since other players are coming up such as India and China it is becoming ever more important that Europeans can have an independent access to space. We have to invest more into space research and technology in order to have an industry capable of competing with other international players."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/057-42862-322-11-47-909-20081120STO42665-2008-17-11-2008/default_en.htm |title=Former astronaut MEP backs Europe's stellar ambitions |access-date=28 November 2008 |date=28 November 2008 |publisher=[[European Parliament]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201130730/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/057-42862-322-11-47-909-20081120STO42665-2008-17-11-2008/default_en.htm |archive-date=1 December 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The first EU-ESA International Conference on Human Space Exploration took place in Prague on 22 and 23 October 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/10/14/333427/2010-to-see-european-union-human-spaceflight-decision.html |work=[[Flightglobal.com]] |title=2010 to see European Union human spaceflight decision |access-date=18 October 2009 |date=14 October 2009 |first=Rob |last=Coppinger}}</ref> A road map which would lead to a common vision and strategic planning in the area of space exploration was discussed. Ministers from all 29 EU and ESA members as well as members of parliament were in attendance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Space_exploration_European_Ministers_in_Prague_prepare_a_roadmap_towards_a_common_vision |title=Space exploration: European Ministers in Prague prepare a roadmap towards a common vision |access-date=6 September 2014 |date=14 October 2009 |publisher=European Space Agency}}</ref>

The [[European Commission]] is increasingly working together towards common objectives. Some 20 per cent of the funds managed by ESA now originate from the supranational [[budget of the European Union]]. In recent years the ties between ESA and the European institutions have been reinforced by the increasing role that space plays in supporting the EU's social, political and economic policies.

The legal basis for the EU/ESA co-operation is provided by a Framework Agreement which entered into force in May 2004. According to this agreement, the European Commission and ESA co-ordinate their actions through the Joint Secretariat, a small team of EC's administrators and ESA executive. The Member States of the two organisations meet at ministerial level in the Space Council, which is a concomitant meeting of the EU and ESA Councils, prepared by Member States representatives in the High-level Space Policy Group (HSPG).

ESA maintains a liaison office in Brussels to facilitate relations with the European institutions.

===Guaranteeing European access to space===
In May 2007, the 29 European countries expressed their support for the European Space Policy in a resolution of the Space Council, unifying the approach of ESA with those of the European Union and their member states.

Prepared jointly by the European Commission and ESA's Director General, the European Space Policy sets out a basic vision and strategy for the space sector and addresses issues such as security and defence, access to space and exploration.

Through this resolution, the EU, ESA and their Member States all commit to increasing co-ordination of their activities and programmes and their respective roles relating to space.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/ESA_and_the_EU |title=ESA and the EU |author=esa |work=European Space Agency |access-date=3 October 2015}}</ref>

ESA is partnered with the EU on its two current flagship space programs, the [[Copernicus Programme|Copernicus series of Earth observation satellites]] and the [[Galileo (satellite navigation)|Galileo satellite navigation system]], with ESA providing technical oversight and, in the case of Copernicus, some of the funding.<ref name=SN1>{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/esa-and-eu-mend-relations/|date=22 January 2021|title=ESA and EU mend relations|website=[[Space News]]|access-date=10 April 2021}}</ref> The EU, though, has shown an interest in expanding into new areas, whence the proposal to rename and expand its satellite navigation agency (the [[European GNSS Agency]]) into the EU Agency for the Space Programme. The proposal drew strong criticism from ESA, as it is perceived as encroaching on ESA's turf.<ref name=SN1 />

In January 2021, after years of acrimonious relations, EU and ESA officials mended their relationship, with the EU Internal Market commissioner [[Thierry Breton]] saying "The European space policy will continue to rely on ESA and its unique technical, engineering and science expertise," and that "ESA will continue to be the European agency for space matters.<ref name=SN1 /> If we are to be successful in our European strategy for space, and we will be, I will need ESA by my side." ESA director Aschbacher reciprocated, saying "I would really like to make ESA the main agency, the go-to agency of the European Commission for all its flagship programs." ESA and EUSPA are now seen to have distinct roles and competencies, which will be officialized in the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA).<ref name=SN1 /> Whereas ESA will focus will be on the technical elements of the EU space programs, EUSPA will handle the operational elements of those programs.<ref name=SN1 />

== Implications of UK leaving the EU ==
Although the United Kingdom has [[Brexit|left the European Union]], it still continues its membership in the European Space Agency.<ref name="bbc.com">{{Cite news|date=6 June 2018|title=European Commission seeks to boost space spending|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44383819|access-date=4 June 2021}}</ref> Since members of the European Space Agency contribute funding based on percentage of GDP, the United Kingdom is one of the larger members of the Space Agency and provides a significant amount of funding.<ref>{{cite web|title=Funding|url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Funding|access-date=4 June 2021|website=esa.int|language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[European Union]] (EU)
** [[Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space|EU Commission Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space]] (DG DEFIS)
** [[European Union Agency for the Space Programme]] (EUSPA)
** [[European Union Satellite Centre]] (EU SatCen)
** [[European Defence Agency]] (EDA)
** [[Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications]] (BEREC)
** [[European Union Aviation Safety Agency]] (EASA)
** [[European Network of Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authorities]] (ENCASIA)
** [[Europe by Satellite]]
* [[European Space Agency]] (ESA)
** [[Ariane 5]]
** [[Ariane 6]]
** [[European Space Agency#EU/ESA Space Council|Relationship between the EU and ESA]]
** [[Guiana Space Centre]]
* [[AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe]]
** [[Eurospace]]
* [[International Space Station]] (ISS)

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
* Text of the [http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/BR/ESA_BR_269_22-05-07.pdf ''Resolution on the European Space Policy''] adopted 22 May 2007.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080203202843/http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/space/themes/intro_space_en.html European Space Policy] ec.europa.eu
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080926074120/http://ec.europa.eu/comm/space/gmes/index_en.htm GMES] ec.europa.eu
* [http://www.gmes.info/ GMES website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208015600/http://www.gmes.info/ |date=8 December 2017 }} gmes.info
* [http://esa.int/ European Space Agency] esa.int
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070830054017/http://www.espi.or.at/home/index.php European Space Policy Institute] espi.or.at
*{{cite web|last=Davies|first=Ron|title=Towards an EU industrial policy for space|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/bibliotheque/briefing/2013/130613/LDM_BRI(2013)130613_REV1_EN.pdf|work=Library Briefing|publisher=Library of the European Parliament|access-date=31 July 2013}}

{{Spaceflight}}
{{European Union topics}}
{{Funding programmes of the European Union}}
{{Politics of outer space}}

[[Category:Space policy of the European Union| ]]
[[Category:2007 in the European Union]]