The EU Competitiveness Fund, part of the Multiannual Financial Framework, will streamline support for innovation and industrial development by merging existing programmes, simplifying access – particularly for SMEs – and guiding investments across key sectors with unified rules and a shared financial toolbox.
In a geopolitical context of increasing power competition and intensification of threats to the EU and its Member States, EU leaders have identified space as a strategic domain in the Strategic Compass and have called for an EU Space Strategy for security and defence. The European Commission presented on 10 March such strategy aiming to enhancing the resilience and protection of space systems and services in the EU, responding to space threats, enhancing the use of space for security and defence and partnering for responsible behaviours in outer space.
The preparatory meeting between the rapporteur, the corapporteur and the president of the study group is scheduled for 31 March. The first study group meeting and an expert hearing are scheduled for 3 May and the second study group meeting on 31 May. The document will go to CCMI meeting on 22 June and to EESC plenary on 12-13 July.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: EU space strategy for security and defence
On 22 February 2021, the European Commission (EC) presented an Action Plan on Synergies between civil, defence and space industries (COM(2021) 70 final) to further enhance Europe's technological edge and support its industrial base.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries
The EESC supports the EU in its efforts to remain a major independent space power and agrees with it acquiring financial resources commensurate with its ambitions.
The EESC also welcomes the importance attached to "space surveillance and tracking" and to the Govsatcom system, calls for close attention to be given to the project of extracting and retrieving natural resources outside the earth's orbit (space mining) and proposes an appropriate campaign, so that citizens realise the added value of European space activities, which are present in their daily lives.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: European Space Programme
The Commission's report highlights the key findings of the mid-term evaluation of the European Earth monitoring programme, Copernicus, three years into its implementation. The EESC welcomes the results achieved so far by the Copernicus programme and emphasises that when assessing the achievements of the programme, social and environmental aspects should be considered, in addition to the economic aspect.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: Mid-term review of the Copernicus programme (2014-2020) (report)
The EESC welcomes the communication of the European Commission on a "Space Strategy for Europe" and endorses the proposed guidelines. The EESC encourages the Commission to continue on this path and to set its sights on even more ambitious horizons. The Committee emphasizes that space activities are nowadays part of everyday life of European citizens. It focuses on the crucial role of SMEs as well as on the education and public awareness raising as far as space activities are concerned.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: Space Strategy for Europe (Communication)
