In 2023, the European Commission published the first EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence, highlighting the need for a shared understanding and approach to space threats, and promoting global partnerships for responsible space conduct. Space technology plays a crucial role beyond military concerns, affecting our daily life globally. Disruptions to satellite infrastructure can lead to severe consequences, ranging from military incapability to supply chain breakdowns. Space has become a global focal point and a stage for geopolitical manoeuvring. Niklas Nienaß, a former MEP (Greens/EFA, Germany), has been a strong advocate for a cohesive EU space policy. We asked him three questions about the future of EU space policy.
Why is space so important, extending far beyond military and geopolitical concerns, and impacting numerous aspects of our daily lives?
Space technology is everywhere. If our satellite infrastructure is destroyed tomorrow, our globalised civilisation will collapse within weeks. The stock market would crash, causing an immediate short-term financial crisis. Many airplanes would crash, as the autopilot for take-off and landing also relies on Galileo and GPS. Similarly, all cargo ships depend on these satellites to navigate safely. This would lead to a more severe collapse of global supply chains than during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our energy production would face significant outages since most wind turbines are controlled via communication satellites. Moreover, the long-term fight against climate change would be lost, as we would lose the most important tool for understanding it, its causes and the effectiveness of measures. Eighty per cent of the data in the IPCC report comes from the European Earth observation constellation COPERNICUS.
Furthermore, we would be less resilient. Extreme weather events could no longer be predicted, making it impossible to protect people and hampering efficient rescue after disasters, as rescue teams on the ground would receive no support from above.
Today, we take space technology far too much for granted when we navigate to the next supermarket with Google Maps. The increasing unsustainable use of space makes the worst-case scenario, the so-called Kessler Effect – where collisions of objects in space cause an unstoppable chain reaction until all infrastructure is destroyed – increasingly realistic.
How satisfied are you with the EU’s space policy, and how has it evolved over the last parliamentary term?
The current state of European space policy is not good in considering the magnitude of the issue, with all the risks involved and the potential benefits for Europe and humanity as a whole.
It has not been politically recognised that even with sustainable space travel, monopolistic satellite constellations in the hands of system competitors like China or private individuals like Musk can have a significant negative impact on our society. Space must be managed globally and democratically.
Technologically, Europe is currently falling behind, even though we possess the capabilities and know-how to play a leading role. This is partly because of insufficient financial support, as well as a lack of willingness to change the procurement model and commit to the so-called New Space principles.
In terms of security, Europe is also extremely poorly positioned. Despite the establishment of unnecessary duplicate structures in individual Member States, these units only defend their national satellite infrastructure. The much more relevant EU satellites of COPERNICUS and GALILEO, which are essential for military use, are not protected by any European unit.
So, the status quo is not good and not in line with the challenges of the future. But a European space law that promotes Europe’s competitiveness while setting global sustainability standards, unthinkable five years ago, is now drafted and likely to be presented to Parliament later this year.
What needs to be on the EU’s space agenda for this new legislative term, and what role should the European Parliament play in this regard?
First of all, it will be important to quickly pass and implement the EU Space Law. This law should then serve as a template for reforming international legislation to swiftly achieve binding sustainability standards in space usage.
In terms of security, leveraging current discussions about a European defence Commissioner and a unified European procurement system could establish a joint European space defence unit. This could protect European constellations and provide security for smaller Member States, such as the Baltic states, which currently cannot afford to build national units.
From an industrial policy perspective, it will be crucial to enable the privatisation of the space industry in Europe to lower costs and enhance resilience by providing more alternatives.
We will also need to reform the European Space Agency (ESA) and clarify its relationship with the EU, as members of these two institutions do not completely overlap. The ESA should not just become an EU agency, as it offers a unique opportunity for international cooperation with other global players, such as Brazil, South Africa and India.
In the past five years, I learned that the European Parliament can be a driving force in this area if it acts courageously. We need a parliament that understands that it is not only making policy for the 450 million Europeans, but ultimately can have an immense impact on the entire world.
