Commission seeks views on future space strategy
(From ec.europa.eu)
The European Commission has launched a public consultation to collect views on the objectives of the EU future space strategy, the main challenges and opportunities for the European space sector, as well as the future of EU space programmes.
Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, said:
"With its Galileo and Copernicus programmes, Europe is developing a strong global position in space. In the face of a fast changing global industrial landscape and acute competition through disruptive innovation, Europe needs to prepare the right conditions for a strong market uptake of space technologies. The purpose of the upcoming Space Strategy for Europe is also to develop a strategy for an autonomous access to space, and increase synergies between space and other domains such as emergency humanitarian aid, agriculture, transport, energy, climate change, defence and security".
Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President for Energy Union, said:
"The EU already today plays a major role in the global space sector. Our competitiveness, new jobs and market opportunities, but also our security, rely on the use of space. Therefore this Commission wants to deliver an ambitious EU space strategy that will define our way forward. I encourage all stakeholders from all areas to participate in this public consultation".
Between 2014 and 2020, the EU is investing over €12bn in the implementation of the EU’s space programmes on satellite navigation (Galileo and EGNOS), Earth observation (Copernicus) and space research under Horizon 2020.