New EU space regulator

News & Press: Space

17 May 2021 (0 Comments)

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The EU has brought all space activities under one regulating body - the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA).

EUSPA replaces the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA), covering Galileo and EGNOS, and will also include oversight of the EU’s Earth observation programme, Copernicus, and the EU’s forthcoming Governmental Satellite Communications Programme (GOVSATCOM). The European Space Agency (ESA) will remain a major partner in the technical and operational implementation of the EU space programme, but will remain independent of EUSPA.

The European Commission proposed the formation of EUSPA in mid-2018, but it was not until December 2020 that agreement was reached between the European Parliament and Council on the Programme. And it was on 28 April 2021 that the European Parliament approved the final update of the programme, allocating a €14.8 (£12.7, $18.0) billion budget.

Further details from the European Parliament