Council resolution of 2 December 1999 on developing a coherent European space strategy
Date: 1999-12-02
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: European Space Agency, satellite communications, space navigation, space policy, space research, space technology

24.12.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 375/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 2 December 1999

on developing a coherent European space strategy

(1999/C 375/01)

to play a significant

continue
commercial and strategic challenges of
society supported by satellite infrastructures;

role

in meeting the
the information

(2) AGREES that

the industrial, scientific and technological
capabilities to meet these challenges require a long-term
commitment and investment in all areas, including space
science, participation in international programmes, as well
as maintaining competitive launch services;

(3) WELCOMES the growing cooperation between the European
Community and the ESA and SUPPORTS the intention of
the Commission to implement
together with the ESA,
measures to improve synergy and to examine further
concrete measures so that Europe’s space effort may gain
a strategic impetus from EU activities in other areas;

(4) ASKS the Commission to prepare, as a joint exercise with
the ESA and using a single and common consultative
framework with all
interested parties, a comprehensive
document on a coherent European strategy for space;

(5) CALLS ON all Member States to participate fully in the
consultative process,
in particular in the Space Advisory
Group in which the Commission and the ESA provide
information on progress and opportunity for
regular
discussion;

(6) ASKS the Commission to report to the next meeting of the
Research Council on the progress made in this process and
furthermore to submit to the Council for consideration by
the end of the year 2000 a European strategy for space on
the basis of the joint ESA-Commission document.

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

RECALLING the Council’s resolution of 22 June 1998 on the
reinforcement of
the synergy between the European Space
Agency and the European Community (1) adopted in parallel
by the European Space Agency (hereinafter referred to as the
(cid:145)ESA(cid:146)) Council and TAKING NOTE of the resolution on shaping
the future of Europe in space adopted by the ESA Council of
11 May 1999, calling for a fully developed strategy to be
prepared by the end of the year 2000,

CONSIDERING the Commission’s working document (cid:145)Towards a
coherent European approach for space(cid:146) analysing the need to
address Europe’s
and to examine Europe’s
long-term objectives,

space

effort

CONSIDERING the central role of the ESA in Europe’s common
effort in the development of space activities,

CONSIDERING the fruitful cooperation between the Community
and the ESA and the current activities involving Europe in a
new generation of satellite navigation services (Galileo),

UNDERLINING the need to respond, through a comprehensive
space strategy, to the challenges in the domains of telecom-
transport and environment, CONSIDERING also
munications,
the importance of
in the context of
space technologies
security matters, and TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the restructuring
of the European space industry,

(1) WELCOMES the Commission’s analysis as to the need for
action if Europe wishes to preserve and further reinforce its
space capabilities built up over the last decades, and to

(1) OJ C 224, 17.7.1998, p. 1.