Priorities of ESP implementation

The resolution adopted by EU ministers and ESA member countries at the Space Council in May 2007 expressed strong support to the European Space Policy [149 KB] . To ensure the fulfilment of the ESP, it also invited the European Commission and DG ESA to establish a process of regular monitoring and priority setting through an implementation plan.

Accordingly, consultations between the EU, ESA and member countries started immediately to define modalities and priorities of implementation, arriving on the following priority fields and actions:

• Further implementation of the Galileo and GMES programmes, securing their successful delivery and operation;
• The development of a Strategy on International Relations in Space [80 KB] ;
• The development of adequate EU instruments and funding schemes to improve the framework conditions for European space activities and provide a sustainable financial basis [80 KB] for current and future European space projects.

Keeping these priorities in sight, the European Commission and ESA have taken forward the development of the key programmes and further advanced policy cooperation. This work is summarised in the European Space Policy Progress Report [link] published in September 2008.

The Resolution of the 5th Space Council on 26 September [149 KB] confirmed these priorities for the ESP implementation. In addition, it also defined new priorities in the fields of:

• Space and climate change - recognising the contributions of space programmes, in particular GMES, to the global endeavour of combating climate change, and inviting the Commission to conduct a study to assess the needs for full access to standardised data and for increased computing power, and the means to fulfil them, taking into account existing capacities and networking in Europe [ page 11 [149 KB] ]
• Contribution of space to the Lisbon Strategy - underlining that space applications, such as GMES and Galileo, are expected to create substantial global market opportunities through the development of value-added downstream services; and taking note that space activities could be considered for inclusion into the Lead Market Initiative [ page 12 [149 KB] ]
• Space and security - emphasising the need for the development of a European Space Situational Awareness capacity and for the EU is to take an active role in this; and calling on improving the coordination between civilian and defence programmes and stakeholders [ page 13 [149 KB] ]

Space exploration (highlighting the need for Europe to develop a common vision and long-term strategic planning for exploration and welcoming the proposal by the Commission to organize a high level political conference on a long term global vision for space exploration) [ page 15 [149 KB] ]