Space conference: Innovation space entrepreneurship in the spotlight

High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell and Internal Market Commissioner are taking part in the 14^th Space Conference. The conference offers the opportunity to debate with key players of the European space domain on the main challenges Europe is facing today: recovery, development of secure public telecommunications, future-oriented entrepreneurship, resilience, digital and green transition. Commissioner Thierry Breton opened the high-level conference laying out the main priorities for EU Space in 2022.

Consolidation of existing space assets, launch of new initiatives (Secure connectivity and a joint initiative with the High Representative on Space traffic management), innovation and the defence dimension of space will be the main drivers to foster a more competitive European space power. Following his speech and in the context of the CASSINI Initiative, Commissioner Breton signed a joint letter, together with Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, Kris Peeters and Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund, Alain Godard, officialising the ‘Cassini Seed and Growth Funding Facility'. The objective of this €1 billion space investment fund is to attract more funds to become active investors in European SMEs developing space technology and digital services using space data.

Commissioner Breton also awarded this morning the €10 million prize to the winner, Isar Aerospace Technologies GmbH, for the development of dedicated low-cost launch services for light satellites into Low Earth Orbit. This afternoon, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell will deliver a keynote speech on the importance of space and security. The new Joint EU approach on Space Traffic Management will be an important contribution to ensure, among others, the safety of space infrastructure.

As space becomes a new frontier for geopolitics, he will also highlight the strategic link between the space security and defence domains. In this context he will refer to the proposal to develop a new space strategy for security and defence, as put forward in the draft Strategic Compass currently under discussion with member states. Securing a safe and autonomous access to space will contribute to advance Europe's strategic autonomy.

Finally, he will stress the link between space and diplomacy, underlining the importance of further promoting global rules for outer space, working in multilateral fora, notably the United Nations, as well as with partners. For more details, please find the programme here. All speeches will be available on EbS after delivery.

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