Timeline - Space, security and defence

The Council adopted conclusions on the state of play of  space traffic management which:

• stressed the urgency of developing an EU space traffic management approach
• highlighted the importance of taking into account both civil and military space traffic management needs
• underlined the role of the EU space surveillance and tracking system

• Space traffic management: Council adopts conclusions on the current state of play (press release, 8 December 2023)
• Space traffic management

The Council recalled the EU’s longstanding commitment to international law and to the values and guiding principles developed in the United Nations framework, and reaffirmed the readiness of EU member states to continue working to establish norms, rules, and principles of responsible behaviours across the full range of space activities.

• Council approves conclusions on the EU space strategy for security and defence (press release, 14 November 2023)
• Security and defence

The Council adopted conclusions on the ‘Fair and sustainable use of space’ at a time when orbits are increasingly congested with space objects.

The conclusions:

• call for mitigation measures to monitor and manage existing space debris
• propose to reinforce capabilities through, for instance, the contribution of the European Union space surveillance and tracking service, in collaboration with the EU space programme agency, to advance towards an EU approach to space traffic management
• recognise that the space is a global common that should be free for exploration and use by all states

• The Council calls for a European approach on space traffic management (press release, 23 May 2023)
• Competitiveness Council, 22-23 May 2023
• Space traffic management

Ministers adopted conclusions on space traffic management (STM), underlining the importance of strengthening EU space surveillance and tracking capabilities and of coordinating legislation and standardisation. This will amplify the EU’s voice on the international stage when it comes to space traffic management.

The EU approach to space traffic management will reduce the risk of collisions and ensure that space remains safe and sustainable.

The Council also adopted conclusions on Copernicus by 2035, to help prepare the future of the Copernicus space programme. They set out a vision for 2035 and political guidance for the Copernicus programme based on three key pillars: the Green Deal, the digital transition, and security, together contributing to a more resilient Europe.

• Towards safe and sustainable use of space and a vision for Copernicus: the Council adopts conclusions (press release, 10 June 2022)
• Space traffic management

The Council formally approved the Strategic Compass. The Compass gives the European Union an ambitious plan of action for strengthening the EU's security and defence policy by 2030.

The objective of the Strategic Compass is to make the EU a stronger and more capable security provider. The EU needs to be able to protect its citizens and to contribute to international peace and security.

This is all the more important at a time when war has returned to Europe, following the unjustified and unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as of major geopolitical shifts. This Strategic Compass will enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy and its ability to work with partners to safeguard its values and interests.

• A Strategic Compass for a stronger EU security and defence in the next decade (press release, 21 March 2022)
• A Strategic Compass for security and defence