Space Strategy for Europe (Communication)

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. The EESC highlights that the data usage should be more ambitious. It stresses that the mobilisation of additional financial resources for new investments as well as the active involvement of all Member States is essential for the success of the Space Strategy.

Key points:

The EESC:

• welcomes the Commission's Communication on a "Space Strategy for Europe";
• reiterates its strong support for a space policy oriented towards civil needs;
• invites the Commission together with European Investment Bank to identify new financing options to encourage private investors;
• calls for the active involvement of all Member States ;
• believes that education and public awareness-raising regarding the benefits of information and data made available through space activities are of highest importance;
• invites the Commission to test the feasibility of creating a single portal;
• calls for a new approach to data use.

Other relevant EESC opinions:

• Dissemination of satellite data (INT/751 - EESC 04468-2014)
• Copernicus programme (INT/709 - EESC 5084-2013)
• EU space industrial policy - releasing the potential for economic growth in the space sector (supplementary opinion) (CCMI/115 - EESC 2861-2013)
• Space surveillance and tracking (INT/693 - EESC 3545-2013)
• EU Space Industrial Policy (INT/689 - EESC 2837-2013)
• European Earth monitoring programme (GMES) (INT/630 - EESC 1571-2012)
• A Space strategy that benefits its citizens (INT/580 - EESC 1849-2011)
• European Earth Observation Programme (GMES) (INT/487 - EESC 96-2010)
• GMES - Space component (INT/514 - EESC 963-2010)

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.