- May 25, 2005
- Posted by: EARSC
- Category: EARSC News
The paper responds to the desire of EU and ESA Member States in the ?´Space Council?? to:
- Recognise and identify priorities of the European Space Programme,
- Identify the roles and responsibilities of the EU, ESA and other stakeholders as well as the relevant funding sources.
- Identify industrial policy principles and funding principles related to the implementation of the European Space Programme.
Based on the orientations of the second Space Council
scheduled for 7 June 2005, the joint secretariat intends to work
towards a proposal for a European Space Policy and related Programme to
be approved before the end of 2005.
This final proposal will be subject to an open consultation process.
This European Space Policy will consist of: a strategy outlining the
objectives; the roles and responsibilities of the main actors to
deliver these objectives; the European Space Programme identifying the
priorities of the main actors; and a set of implementing principles
agreed amongst them.
Roles of actors
The role of the EU will be:
- to define the priorities and user requirements for space-based applications;
- to aggregate the political will and user demand in support of these;
- to ensure the availability and continuity of services
supporting EU policies by funding relevant up-stream research
activities; - to ensure integration of space-based systems with
related ground and in-situ systems when promoting the development of
user-driven application services supporting EU policies; - to create an optimum regulatory environment to facilitate innovation;
- to work with ESA to promote effective coordination of the European position in international fora.
- EU space policy will be implemented through existing
European capabilities, notably through the European and National Space
Agencies.
It will be the role of ESA by decisions of its Member States:
- to develop and implement space technologies, in particular in access to space, science and exploration;
- to pursue excellence in scientific research in, of and from space;
- to advise the EU on space segment requirements;
- to implement international cooperation within the ambit of ESA-led programmes.
The individual EU and ESA Member States represented in the ?´Space Council?? will identify programmes conducted
nationally which should be incorporated into the European Space Programme. In addition, the European Space Programme will take account of private sector stakeholders.
Priorities
Galileo remains a priority for the EU and Global Monitoring for
Environment and Security (GMES) is proposed to become the second EU
flagship. In the context of the ?¨i2010?Æ (European Information Society
in 2010) initiative, long term research into satellite communications
technologies will remain significant.
ESA??s priorities will lie in securing an access to space;
in pursuing excellence in science of space, from space (Earth science)
and in space (Life and Physical Sciences on the ISS); in exploiting its
know-how in the exploration of the solar system; and in developing
technologies to maintain a competitive space industry.
Member States in the ?´Space Council?? have been invited to introduce
their national programme priorities in order to contribute to the
preparation of the European Space Programme
Costs
The costs of these priorities for the EU,
ESA and Member State national programmes will be identified in the
coming months and be subject to normal budgetary and programmatic
approval procedures.
Implementation
Industry policy will incorporate:
– Regulation and standardisation activities.
– Procurement policy, cost-efficient, adapted to the new EU
industrial environment and consistent with relevant Community law will
be applied.
– Measures to improve International Markets. The absence
of a level-playing field with regard to foreign competitors which
benefit from important and protected institutional markets
(United-States, Russia) is critical and needs consideration.
International Cooperation
Europe should further build up its space partnership with Russia; maintain and develop its longstanding
cooperation with the United States and continue cooperation actions
with China, Eastern and Southern neighbour countries and developing
countries.
Provisions for the implementation of these
objectives have been incorporated in the EU Russia agreement on
creation of a Common Economic Space, which was signed during the Summit
on 10 May in Moscow, and the recently adopted Communication from the
Commission ?´A stronger EU-US Partnership and a more open market for the
21st century?? .
Instruments
The EU will contribute to the financing of space-related activities through different sources.
Funding for Galileo will come primarily from the
trans-European networks (TEN) programme and be complemented by FP7,
Transport priority, for research activities. Funding for GMES will be
provided by FP 7, particularly from the Security and Space priority but
also from the Environment and the Information and Communication
Technologies priorities. The latter also will support satellite
communications research. Horizontal FP7 Specific Programmes and the
Competitiveness and Innovation Programme will be applicable in several
areas, A range of user policies requiring space-based services are
expected to make provision for operational budgets.
