COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries
Date: 2021-02-22
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: European defence policy, action programme, aeronautical industry, aerospace industry, industrial cooperation, industry-research relations, innovation, research and development, standardisation, technology transfer

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  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 22.2.2021  COM(2021) 70 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries         
 
 
1. Introduction 

One of the most important and long-lasting innovations in the automobile industry originates 
from the defence industry, here in Europe. After working on ejector seats in fighter jets for a 
European aeronautics company, Nils Ivar Bohlin, a Swedish mechanical engineer, went on to 
design a new seat belt for a European car company. Inspired by the harness jet pilots used, 
the  three-point  seat  belt became  a  global  standard  in  the  car industry  and  has  saved  more 
than one million lives since its introduction.  
This  example  illustrates  what  President  von  der  Leyen  had  in  mind  when  tasking1  her 
Commission  to  ‘ensure  cross-fertilisation  between  civil,  defence  and  space  industries’  and 
‘focus on improving the crucial link between space and defence and security’. To this end, in 
March  2020  the  Industrial  Strategy  for  Europe2  announced  ‘an  Action  Plan  on  synergies 
between  civil,  defence  and  space  industries,  including  at  the  level  of  programmes, 
technologies, innovation and start-ups’, which was welcomed by the Council3.  

This  Action  Plan  (the  ‘Three-Point  Belt  Plan’)  lays  the  ground  to  deliver  concrete  policy 
actions under three headline objectives: 
  enhancing complementarity between relevant EU programmes and instruments to increase 

efficiency of investments and effectiveness of results (the ‘synergies’); 

  promoting that EU funding for research and development, including on defence and space, 

has economic and technological dividends for EU citizens (the ‘spin-offs’)4; 

  facilitating the use of civil industry research achievements and civil-driven innovation in 

European defence cooperation projects (the ‘spin-ins’).  

Synergies:  In  a  challenging  international  environment,  where  the  EU  needs  to  maintain  its 
technological edge and support its industrial base, the EU Multiannual Financial Framework 
2021-2027  (MFF)  significantly  scales  up  investment  in  technologies  for  defence  or  related 
civilian  use,  such  as  security,  mobility,  health,  information  management,  cyber  and  space. 
Relevant  MFF  programmes  cover  research,  development,  demonstration,  prototyping  and 
deployment (procurement of innovative products and services) in a complementary fashion.  

The  pervasiveness  of  emerging  and  disruptive  technologies  across  civil,  defence  and  space 
industries creates new opportunities for synergies among EU programmes and instruments5. 
A  structured  approach,  establishing  appropriate  processes  and  mechanisms  among  these 
instruments  while  taking  into  account  their  specific  purposes  and  limitations,  will  lead  to 
more  impactful  funding,  reduce  duplication  risks  and  maximise  added  value  for  EU 
taxpayers.  

Spin-offs: Increased investment in defence must also present a dividend for the economy at 
large,  while  fully  respecting  the  constraints  inherent  to  the  defence  sector  (e.g.  the  role  of 
national authorities in steering demand, information handling or specific rules for intellectual 
property  rights).  Increasing  public  awareness  of  the  substantial  multiplying  effect  of  EU 

1 See mission letters to Executive Vice President Vestager and Commissioner Breton. 
2 Communication COM(2020)102 of 10.3.2020  
3 Council Conclusions on Security and Defence, 8910/20 of 17 June 2020: ‘The Council …welcomes the call for more synergies between 
civil and defence industries, including space, in EU programmes, while respecting the different natures and legal bases of respective EU 
programmes and initiatives, including the civilian nature of European space programmes,  with a view to making more  effective use of 
resources and technologies and creating economies of scale.’ 

4 In the medium to long term, when the need to protect key operational superiority assets will no longer apply. 
5 Annex IV of ‘Regulation establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for 

participation and dissemination’ has specific provisions for synergies with other programmes. 

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security,  defence  and  space  expenditure  in  research  and  development  (R&D)  also  helps  to 
consolidate public support for these initiatives.  

These  expenditures  address  the  public  need  for  greater  security  and  constitute  a  long-term 
investment in sustained technological development, economic resilience and growth. Several 
world-class  European  companies  owe  their  position  to  spin-offs  from  European  defence 
research,  from  fibre  technology  to  civilian  aircraft  or  even  canned  food.  Similarly,  many 
innovations first used in space have become civilian success stories, such as digital imaging 
sensors,  insulin  pumps  or  wireless  headsets.  Space  data  and  services  generated  by  Galileo, 
EGNOS  and Copernicus are used for applications in  numerous areas inside and outside the 
EU, providing substantial gains in terms of economic welfare and general quality of life.  

Spin-ins:  It  is  in  many  cases  increasingly  difficult  to  draw  a  clear  line  between  civil  and 
defence  research,  particularly  for  basic  technology  (low  Technology  Readiness  Levels  – 
TRLs). Civil applications of technology are becoming ever cheaper, driven by globalisation 
of  knowledge,  access  to  a  wider  public  and  generalised  access  to  data.  At  the  same  time, 
many  emerging  and  digital  technologies  offer  substantial  potential  for  defence,  including 
Artificial Intelligence (AI), microelectronics, data cloud infrastructures and robotics.  

Innovation in these areas often comes from start-ups, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) 
and  Research  &  Technology  Organisations  (RTOs).  Where  possible,  Europe’s  defence 
industry should be able to draw on EU civilian industry research achievements to avoid costly 
duplicated research6.  

Fostering  synergies  among  relevant  EU-funded  instruments  and  facilitating  civilian-space-
defence  cross-fertilisation  (spin-ins  and  spin-offs)  can  enhance  European  economic  growth, 
further develop the Single Market and improve security for European citizens. 

Drawing  on  expertise  from  across  the  Union,  beyond  well-established  leaders  in  civil, 
defence  and  space  industries,  including  SMEs  and  start-ups,  will  contribute  to  enhanced 
European cooperation, competitiveness and resilience.  
Against  this  background,  this  Action  Plan  presents  11  actions7  that:  (a)  strengthen  the 
capability-driven  approach  in  the  security  sector;  (b)  enhance  synergies  between  EU 
programmes  and  instruments;  (c)  support  start-ups,  SMEs  and  RTOs;  (d)  monitor  critical 
technologies  to  reduce  dependencies;  (e)  foster  standardisation  for  hybrid  civil/defence 
standards;  (f)  boost  innovation  and  cross-fertilisation  between  civil,  defence  and  space 
industries; and (g) launch three flagship projects that may become game-changers. 
While the remit of this Action Plan is limited to EU programmes and instruments8, promoting 
synergies  at  EU  level  may  trigger  similar  actions  at  national  and  regional  level  including 
through national co-funding of EU projects, thereby multiplying the expected positive effect.  

Although  not  falling  within  the  scope  of  this  Action  Plan,  relevant  Member  State-driven 
security  and  defence  initiatives9 will  also  be  taken  into  account,  particularly  the  Strategic 
the  Permanent 
Compass, 
Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and the Civilian CSDP Compact10. EU-NATO cooperation 

the  Coordinated  Annual  Review  on  Defence  (CARD), 

6 See, for example, the report ‘Horizon 2020-funded security research projects with dual-use potential: An overview (2014-2018)’, EUR 

30210 EN, from the Joint Research Centre. 

7 All actions must comply fully with relevant national, EU and international law, including competition rules.  
8 EU funding must comply fully with applicable law, including the Treaties, the Financial Regulation and the specific rules defined in the 

relevant basic act for a funding programme or instrument. 

9 Developed within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) / Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) 
10  The  recently  established  ‘NIP  (National  Implementation  Plan)-cluster’  on  security,  technology  and  RDI  (research-development-

innovation) for national capability development in civilian CSDP, aims to identify and use relevant EU programmes. 

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will  also  be  taken  into  account  when  relevant,  including  as  regards  inter-operability. 
Commission  services  will  continue  to  work  closely  with  the  European  External  Action 
Service (EEAS) and the European Defence Agency (EDA), whose relevant activities will be 
taken into account when seeking synergies and cross-fertilisation11. 

In  a  broader  geopolitical  context,  the  EU  has  pledged  to  develop  a  common  transatlantic 
approach to protecting critical technologies in light of global economic and security concerns 
and  work  together  on  technology,  trade  and  standards.  The  transatlantic  partnership  and 
cooperation with other like-minded countries can support EU efforts in this area.  

2. The capability-driven approach 

The  space,  defence  and  security  industries  are  strategic  for  Europe.  The  EU’s  digital 
strategy12, adopted in  February 2020, underlined the  importance of EU leadership in digital 
technologies  and  cybersecurity  and  envisaged  an  unprecedented  level  of  investment  in  the 
EU’s digital transition over the next seven years. The European Council stressed in October 
202013  that  achieving  strategic  autonomy  while  preserving  an  open  economy  is  a  key 
objective of the Union and called for developing EU autonomy in the space sector and a more 
integrated  defence  industrial  base.  In  July  2020,  the  EU  Security  Union  Strategy14  stressed 
the need to  further strengthen security research  and innovation; this  Action Plan could  also 
serve  this  need  and  support  the  EU’s  security  industries  with  state-of-the-art,  innovative 
solutions  deriving from  the cross-fertilisation and efficient  synergies  between civil,  defence 
and space industries. The EU Green Deal set the tone for an ambitious transition towards a 
transformative society, which will require substantial research and innovation in technologies 
and social transitions and will trigger breakthroughs in many sectors.  

The aerospace and defence industrial ecosystem includes the aeronautics, space and defence 
sectors. It represents EUR 376 billion in annual turnover, 44 000 companies and 1.5 million 
employees15. According to 2015 data16, the security industry in Europe employs 4.7 million 
people  and  accounts  for  an  annual  turnover  of  EUR  200  billion  across  more  than  20  sub-
sectors  of  the  European  economy.  Most  companies  had  reported  growth  and  expected  to 
continue growing prior to COVID-19, which reversed this trend.  

This  Action  Plan  addresses  the  space  and  defence  sectors  of  this  ecosystem,  as  well  their 
interactions with civil sectors (such as security). These industries are trying to recover from 
the  crisis,  but  also  to  respond  to,  and  shape  the  acceleration  of,  the  twin  green  and  digital 
transitions. They are high-tech, employ highly skilled employees and tend to export a large 
share  of  their  products.  The  same  large  industrial  actors  are  often  involved  in  the  space, 
defence as well as numerous civil sectors (such as security, aeronautics or digital). They rely 
on  international  collaboration,  are  trying  to  become  more  resilient  and  have  dynamic  value 
chains.  Recent  technological  developments  show  a  changing  trend  where  civil  innovation, 
particularly from start-ups and SMEs, increasingly drives defence innovation.  

11  This  is  in  line  with  the  obligation  of  the  Commission  and  the  Council,  assisted  by  the  High  Representative  of  the  Union  for  Foreign 

Affairs and Security Policy, to ensure consistency between external action and internal policies (Article 21(3) TEU). 

12 Communication COM(2020) 67 of 19.02.2020, ‘Shaping Europe’s Digital Future’ 
13 European Council Conclusions, EUCO 13/20 of 2 October 2020 
14 COM(2020) 605 of 24.7.2020 
15 Calculations are based on Eurostat’s ‘Structural Business Statistics’ and ‘National accounts aggregates by industry’. Most values refer to 

EU-27, 2017. Missing values are replaced with the most recent available data. 

16 See 2015 report here. These data may not be fully accurate because most industrial organisations are active in both defence and security. 

The Commission recently launched a new study. 

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The space, defence and security sectors have the potential for synergies and cross-fertilisation 
between themselves and with other civil sectors. They face many challenges and constraints, 
including regulatory hurdles, lack of a level playing field in international markets, access to 
costly research and testing infrastructure, need for specialised skills, lack of attractiveness to 
women and youth in particular, access to critical materials or components, and the need for 
European standards and certification. They comply with specific export controls for defence 
and dual-use17 items.  As they develop  technologies  or infrastructures with  possible security 
implications, they may become subject to Foreign Direct Investment Screening18. 

To further understand the interlinkages between these and other civil sectors, the Commission 
will  continue  to  consult  all  relevant  stakeholders.  It  will,  in  particular,  try  to  address 
challenges faced by European SMEs, start-ups, RTOs and academia that impede them from 
playing a more active role: these challenges include high security requirements, upscaling to 
market,  access  to  finance  (funding,  private  investment)  access  to  third  markets,  access  to 
testing infrastructures and insufficient de-risking of research investments. 

One  way  to  address  these  challenges  is  to  promote  the  capability  driven  approach 
(CDA).  A  CDA  has  two  key  features:  first,  users  define  what  capability  they  need  and, 
second, they express their intention to procure products that, once developed, will offer the 
desired  capability.  This  approach  has  proven  useful  in  the  space  and  defence  sectors  as  it 
allows  for  a  clear  policy  steer,  a  forward-looking  mentality,  long-term  planning,  an  inter-
disciplinary  approach  encompassing  all  stakeholders  and  synchronisation  of  the  various 
processes.  
The European Defence Fund (EDF) and its precursor programmes19 rely on a CDA, notably 
by  taking  into  account  existing  EU  defence  prioritisation  tools  and  processes20  that  support 
decision-making  at  national  and  EU  level.  This  helps  to  increase  convergence  between 
Member States’ defence planning and provides references for a more coherent development 
of Europe’s defence capabilities. 

The  established  space  governance  framework  and  stable  financing  by  the  Member  States 
through  the  European  Space  Agency  and  by  the  Union  budget  also  enabled  the 
implementation of a CDA for the space sector. The CDA ensures that future space systems 
are  able  to  offer  capabilities  that  can  best  serve  EU  needs  for  environment  or  security 
monitoring, secure communications, positioning navigation and timing, or others. 
With  the  notable  exception  of  integrated  border  management21,  there  is  no  similar 
overarching CDA process for the EU security sector. High geographic, thematic and user 
diversity gives rise to different ‘security sub-sectors’ with various approaches tailored to their 
specific  needs.  Lack  of  coordinated  planning  can  lead  to  overdependence  on  imported 
technologies  that  are  available  off-the-shelf.  While  preserving  the  necessary  flexibility  for 
each  security  sub-sector,  a  CDA  can  contribute  to  a  modern  and  forward-looking  security 
sector. It can facilitate the use of innovative technology to meet evolving security challenges 
for  the  law  enforcement  community  (e.g.  police,  customs  and  other  inspection  authorities) 

17 In line with the Council Regulation on trade of dual-use items, in this Action Plan dual-use items are defined as those goods, software and 

technology that can be used for both civilian and defence applications. 

18 Regulation 2019/452 of 19.03.2019. Implementation and enforcement of the Regulation can help to safeguard critical technologies and 

infrastructure in a way that also benefits EU operators that rely on them. 

19 The Preparatory Action on Defence Research and the European Defence Industrial Development Programme.  
20 Notably, the Capability Development Plan (and related Strategic Context Cases) and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence. 
21 Under Article 9 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 on the European Border and Coast Guard, a specific capability development planning 

process has been established for EU integrated border management. It will lead to the coordination of Member States’ national capability 
development plans related to border management and FRONTEX’s own capability plans. This capability development planning process 
will support the deployment of the EBCG Standing Corps and will steer the programming of relevant EU instruments.  

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and  thus  benefit  Member  State  authorities,  facilitating  also  compliance  with  European  data 
protection and ethical standards. 

The EU is well placed to promote a CDA across the security sector. Strengthening the CDA 
in EU agencies, for example, can help structure user needs, identify vulnerabilities, address 
capability gaps, define technology roadmaps and research opportunities, ensure a successful 
transition  from  R&D  to  operations,  and  create  joint  procurement  opportunities.  Possible 
synergies with civilian crisis management will also be taken into account.   

Action 1: Before the end of 2021, the Commission will present a proposal to strengthen the 
forward-looking  and  early  identification  of  needs  and  solutions  in  the  field  of  internal 
security  and  law  enforcement  by  fostering  capability-driven  approaches  across  security 
sectors, building on best practices from the defence and space sectors. 

3. Synergies between EU programmes and instruments  

Under the 2021-2027 MFF, the EU will scale up investment in technologies for civil, defence 
and space applications through: (a) research, development and deployment programmes such 
as Horizon Europe, Digital Europe programme (DEP), the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), 
the  Internal  Security  Fund,  the  EDF  and  the  Space  programme;  (b)  procurement22  of 
innovative cross-sector technological solutions.  

Defence R&D is envisaged under the EDF. Cohesion Policy programmes can also contribute 
to defence-related R&D provided it is in line with the relevant rules for shared management. 
Other funding instruments focus on civil applications, while the respective regulations often 
include dual-use23 provisions. For example, in civil protection, rescEU24 will provide funding 
to  Member  and  Participating  States  to  develop  EU  capacities  to  respond  to  chemical, 
biological,  radiological  and  nuclear  (CBRN)  disasters  when  national  capacities  prove  to  be 
insufficient. 

The  MFF  also  includes  horizontal  instruments  that  support  maritime  and transport  policies. 
Particularly relevant  are  programmes  (e.g. the  Integrated Border Management Fund) or EU 
agencies (e.g. FRONTEX, the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency) that aim to improve the 
internal  and  external  security  and  protection  of  the  EU.  In  addition,  the  EU  Recovery  and 
Resilience  Facility  and  the  Technical  Support  Instrument  will  support  reforms  and 
investments by Member States, provided that they are aligned with established EU priorities, 
particularly those related to the green and digital transitions. 

The increased size of these investments, delivered through a variety of EU programmes and 
instruments,  presents  opportunities  for  synergies  that  can  avoid  the  risk  of  duplication  and 
provide  more  user-friendly  opportunities  for  financing  (e.g.  grants,  public  procurement, 
guarantees).  These  will  assist  projects  along  the  pathway  from  R&D  to  deployment  either 
through market uptake or public procurement for innovation.  

The MFF also includes instruments to support: investment (e.g. InvestEU); regional projects 
for research, innovation, technologies and SMEs (e.g. via the ERDF or the European Social 
Fund  –  ESF);  technological  innovation,  start-ups  and  SMEs  (e.g.  Horizon  Europe 
collaborative  research  including  partnerships  and  missions,  and  in  particular  the  Pathfinder 

22 Direct EU procurement or supporting procurement by Member States. 
23 The Horizon Europe programme envisages that synergies with the EDF will benefit civil and defence research, although activities under 

the Framework Programme will have an exclusive focus on civil applications. 

24 rescEU is part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.  

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and  Accelerator  instruments  of  the  European  Innovation  Council  –  EIC)  or  the  European 
digital innovation hubs.  

Where  security  exemptions  are  foreseen  in  EU  programmes,  the  Commission  and  EU 
Agencies will, where there are duly justified reasons,  limit participation in  procurements to 
legal entities established in Member States, or which are not controlled by third countries.  

Measures  to  enhance  access  to  finance  and  synergies  within  the  MFF  programmes  can 
include: 
  Blending facilities at EU level, involving a combination of different forms of investment 
support  from  the  EU  budget  (e.g.  grants  and  repayable  resources)  and  other  sources  of 
financing to achieve greater impact.  

  The Pathfinder and Accelerator instruments of the EIC, which will aim to make the 
most of Europe’s strong research base and seek to support game-changing innovations. 
  Synergies between Horizon Europe and other directly  managed MFF programmes 
(when  respective  legal  bases  allow  it),  offering  a  wide  range  of  strategic  leveraging 
through the possibility to combine funding. Programmes under shared management (e.g. 
the ERDF) can also be considered for transfer of funds (voluntary transfers between funds 
or to instruments managed directly and indirectly, and the seal of excellence mechanism). 

Further to these measures, the Commission also recalls its support, as stated in the European 
Defence Action Plan of 201625, and the European Council Conclusions of December 201626, 
for  an  adaptation  of  the  lending  criteria  of  the  European  Investment  Bank  (EIB)  to  the 
defence sector within the limits of the Treaties. 

Action  2:  Before  the  end  of  2021  and  with  a  view  to  the  2022  work-programmes,  the 
Commission will further enhance its internal  process to promote synergies  between space, 
defence  and  related  civil  industries  by  improving  coordination  of  EU  programmes  and 
instruments and by launching actions to facilitate access to finance. 

4. Support for start-ups, SMEs and RTOs 

With few exceptions, the level of participation by start-ups, SMEs and RTOs in the defence 
markets and security market is still low. Given the potential of these types of organisations, 
there is a need to facilitate the creation of opportunities for ‘spin-ins’ from civil industries to 
defence. To achieve this, SMEs and start-ups throughout the Union: 
  should  become  better  aware  of  potential  business  opportunities,  particularly  in  the 

defence market;  

  should  acquire  a  comprehensive  overview  of  opportunities  offered  by  calls  launched 

under EU space, defence and related civil industry programmes;  

  need to adapt their products/business models to the specificities of these markets. 

RTOs could  play  an important  role in  support of SMEs, as they  can bring innovative ideas 
and approaches. Such innovation has the potential to shape existing networks and create new 
interactions  between  defence  institutions,  industry  and  RTOs.  The  ability  to  engage  SMEs 
and  RTOs  throughout  the  Union  will  be  critical  in  order  to  secure  the  diversity  needed  in 
terms of innovation and specialisation. 

25 COM(2016) 950 of 30.11.2016 
26 The European Council conclusions of 15 December 2016 invited the EIB “to examine steps with a view to supporting investments in 

defence research and development activities”. 

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From space data providers like Galileo or Copernicus to new forms of data representation and 
analytics  like  Destination  Earth27,  European  Digital  Innovation  Hubs  can  bring  together 
innovative  SMEs  along  the  data  value  chain.  To  further  support  EU  SMEs,  start-ups  and 
RTOs,  and  ensure  cross-fertilisation  between  civil,  defence  and  space  industries,  the 
Commission intends to: 
  step up its awareness raising activities, also involving the European Network of Defence-
related Regions, the European Defence Research and Innovation Network, the Enterprise 
Europe  Network  and  industrial  clusters  such  as  those  on  the  European  Clusters 
Collaboration Platform28;  

  use EU communicators on the ground such as the Commission Representations, as well as 
EU  outreach  networks  present  in  the  Member  States,  to  help  in  disseminating  key 
messages and building partnerships; 

  build on existing networks and EU bodies to develop industrial and scientific partnerships 

 

in critical technologies;  
facilitate access to EU support via a multilingual interactive tool that guides companies to 
the best EU funding for their project; 

  assess opportunities to create national focal points for all participation aspects in the EDF, 

 

seeking synergies with other entities that promote EU funding opportunities;  
further  promote  opportunities  offered  by  the  space  entrepreneurship  initiative  CASSINI 
for  business  acceleration,  incubation,  seed-funding  and  pre-commercial  procurement  as 
well as innovation partnership and procurement of innovation; 

  work together with  the EIC to  provide business  accelerating services for civil  high-tech 

start-ups/SMEs to reach defence and security markets;  

  support  the  establishment  of  European  digital  innovation  hubs,  as  envisaged  by  the  EU 
industrial strategy, which can act  as one-stop-shops for companies to  access  technology 
testing and showcase innovative solutions for the civil, defence and space markets;   
  provide technical support and hands-on trainings for start-ups, SMEs and RTOs interested 

in applying to the relevant EU programmes and instruments; 

  organise  outreach  activities  such  as  challenges,  hackathons,  start-up-labs,  technology 
days, innovation forums, serious gaming, foresight and skills development workshops. 

Action 3: Starting in the second half of 2021, the Commission will announce targeted actions 
for start-ups, SMEs  and RTOs  to  raise awareness  about  EU programmes and instruments 
that  offer  funding  opportunities,  provide  technical  support  and  hands-on  training,  provide 
business-accelerating services, showcase innovative solutions,  and facilitate market  entry to 
the defence, security, space or other relevant civil markets.   

5. Critical technologies and technology roadmaps 

In her 2019 political guidelines, President von der Leyen underlined that ‘it is not too late for 
Europe  to  achieve  technological  sovereignty  in  some  critical  technology  areas’.  The  2020 
EU industrial strategy stated: ‘Europe’s strategic autonomy is about reducing dependence on 
others for things  we need the most: critical  materials  and technologies, food, infrastructure, 

27 ‘Destination Earth’ is an EU initiative that aims to develop a very high precision digital model of the Earth to monitor and simulate natural 

and human activity, and to develop and test scenarios that would enable more sustainable development and support European 
environmental policies. 

28 https://www.endr.eu/, https://www.edrin.org/, https://een.ec.europa.eu/, https://www.clustercollaboration.eu  

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security and other strategic areas. They also provide Europe’s industry with an opportunity to 
develop  its own markets,  products  and services  which boost competitiveness.’ The EU will 
therefore support the development of critical technologies that are strategically important for 
Europe. 

For  some  of  these  technologies,  the  Commission  has  used  its  convening  power  to  launch 
Industrial  Alliances29.  Such  alliances  already  exist  for  energy  technologies  (batteries,  clean 
hydrogen) and raw materials while more are under consideration. 

Identifying  which  critical  technologies  make  a  decisive  contribution  to  key  capabilities  can 
help to decide: (i) which technologies are important for technological sovereignty (i.e. where 
there  is  a  need  to  reduce  the  risk  of  dependence);  (ii)  where  combined/coordinated  support 
from  different  EU programmes and instruments can address  such challenges. To strengthen 
its  technological  sovereignty,  the  EU  must  maintain  a  strong  industrial  competence  and, 
where  possible,  seek  leadership  in  these  critical  technologies.  Alongside  the  critical 
technologies, the EU must also look at: 
 

the  value  chains,  including  the  security  of  supply  of  critical  (raw)  materials  that  are 
important building blocks of civil, defence and space critical technologies30,31,32. 
related  research  and  testing  infrastructure,  which  is  key  for  standardisation  and 
certification. 

 

In  the  context  of  this  Action  Plan,  critical  technologies  are  technologies33 that  are  relevant 
across the defence, space and related civil industries and contribute to Europe’s technological 
sovereignty by reducing risks of overdependence on others for things we need the most. The 
following table presents a list34,35 of examples of critical technologies relevant across the 
relevant  civil  (including  security),  defence  and  space  industries  (technologies  whose 
relevance is limited only to one of those industries are not included). 

Sector 

Electronics & Digital 

Technologies 

  Artificial Intelligence, advanced analytics and big data  
  Cybersecurity and cyber defence technologies 
  Digital forensic technologies 
  High-performance computing, cloud and data spaces 
  Photonics 
  Ultra-low power microprocessors, lightweight printed or 

flexible electronics  
  Quantum technologies 
  Secure communications and networking 
  Sensors  (including  electro-optical,  radar,  chemical, 

biological, radiation, etc.) 

29 Industrial Alliances serve to convene and rally a wide range of stakeholders in a given ecosystem/value chain where there is: (i) an urgent 
rationale  for  changing  business  model;  (ii)  a  risk  of  being  squeezed  out  of  markets  that  are  key  to  the  future  of  the  EU’s 
industry/economy; or (iii) a chance to capture a promising future-proof market, along with the spillover effects.  

30 EC, Critical Raw Materials Resilience: Charting a Path towards greater Security and Sustainability, COM(2020) 474 final. 
31 JRC, 2019, Materials dependencies for dual-use technologies relevant to Europe's defence sector, JRC117729  
32 EC, 2020, Critical raw materials for strategic technologies and sectors in the EU – a Foresight study 
33 Including, when appropriate, relevant identified key enabling technologies, , which constitute a distinct complementary category.  
34  The  list  builds  on  critical  technologies  presented  in  the  2020  Industrial  Strategy  Communication  and  the  dual-use  export  control 
regulation. It takes into account the EU list of key enabling technologies and its approach is consistent with recent EU industry analysis.  

35 Certain technologies may relate to more than one sector 

8 

 
                                                           
Manufacturing 

Space & Aeronautics 

Health 

Energy 

Mobility 

  Advanced and additive manufacturing  
  Advanced  materials 
materials by design 

technologies  and 

sustainable 

  Nanotechnologies 
  Robotics 
  Semiconductors and microelectronics 
  Space technologies (including design and manufacturing 

of launchers and satellites) 

  Secure  precision  timing,  positioning  and  navigation 

technologies  

  High-definition Earth Observation technologies 
  Satellite-based secure communication and connectivity 
  Biotechnologies 
  Chemical,  biological, 

radiological  and  nuclear36 

technologies 

  Energy  technologies  (including  energy  storage,  energy 

resilience, renewables, hydrogen and nuclear)  

  Autonomous systems 

Critical technologies are bound to change as new technologies emerge. The Commission will 
set  up  within  its  services  an  EU  Observatory  of  Critical  Technologies.37  It  will  provide 
regular  monitoring  and  analysis  of  critical  technologies,  their  potential  applications,  value 
chains, needed research and testing infrastructure, desired level of EU control over them, and 
existing gaps  and dependencies38.  Every second  year, the Observatory, in  consultation  with 
key  stakeholders,  will  produce  a  classified  report  on  critical  technologies,  dependencies, 
value chains and testing infrastructure for the defence, space and related civil industries39. 

On  the  basis  of  these  reports,  the  Commission  will  develop  technology  roadmaps  to 
stimulate  cross-fertilisation  between  civil,  defence  and  space  industries  for  critical 
technologies. Technology roadmaps are increasingly used by the Commission40 as a flexible 
technique  to  support  strategic  planning,  by  matching  short-term  and  long-term  goals  with 
specific technology solutions. 

Using technology roadmaps the Commission will build on the identified critical technologies 
and  (a)  address  all  relevant  funding  instruments,  policy  needs  and  access  to  finance 
opportunities in order to create synergies across EU actions; (b) target wider technology and 
socio-economic  needs  with  a  view  to  fostering  cross-fertilisation;  (c)  bring  together  all 
relevant stakeholders, including government, industry, academia and civil society.  

Technology  roadmaps  will  use  technology  forecasting  to  identify  suitable  emerging 
technologies,  avoid  duplication  of  costs,  contribute  to  market  stability  in  Europe,  promote 

36 Such as for use in preventive or treatment health solutions, forensics, etc. 
37 Working as appropriate with existing EU technology monitoring tools such as those of the Commission (https://ati.ec.europa.eu/) or EDA 
38 Critical dependencies in the interplay of civil, defence and space technologies are a specific subset of (and therefore fully aligned with) the 

full set of industrial critical dependencies that are addressed by the EU Industrial Strategy, which has a much wider scope.  

39 The work of the EDA on critical technologies will be taken into account where appropriate, including through the Overarching  Strategic 

Research Agenda (OSRA) and related Technology Building Blocks (TBB).  

40 See also Communication COM(2020)628 of 30.9.2020, ‘A new ERA for Research and Innovation’. 

9 

 
                                                           
cross-border cooperation and stimulate innovation by start-ups and SMEs. Each roadmap will 
have a specific horizon, milestones and a concrete final aim.  

Based  on  the  outcomes  of  the  work  conducted  under  the  technology  roadmaps,  the 
Commission may decide to  launch flagship  projects,  taking into account  their likely impact 
on  the  technological  sovereignty  and  leadership  of  the  EU,  their  sources  of  financing  and 
their governance (see Section 8 below). 

Action  4:  The  Commission  will  develop  technology  roadmaps  to  boost  innovation  on 
critical  technologies  for  the  defence,  space  and  related  civil  sectors  and  stimulate  cross-
border  cooperation  using  all  relevant  EU  instruments  in  a  synergetic  way.  These  roadmaps 
will be based on an assessment produced every two years by a new Observatory for Critical 
Technologies within the Commission. The roadmaps may lead to the launch of new flagship 
projects.    

6. Standardisation 

Promotion and application of common standards across sectors can contribute to cost savings 
in terms of production runs and cost management, but also improve operational effectiveness, 
by enhancing interoperability, particularly in a multinational environment.  

Better  linking  standards  with  public  security-related  procurement  programmes  can  help  EU 
industry  maintain  its  lead  in  critical  technologies  of  importance  to  the  EU’s  technological 
sovereignty. Overall, common standards can contribute to innovation and synergies. 
In close cooperation with key stakeholders, the Commission will identify existing standards 
and  best  practices,  and  commission  the  development  of  new  ones,  that  can  be  used  across 
civil,  defence  and  space  industries  and  promote  their  use  in  relevant  EU  programmes  and 
instruments in areas where standardisation is still lacking. Examples include: 
 

the  planned  work  under  rescEU,  which  may  prove  a  catalyst  to  improve  cross-border 
collaboration  towards  unified  CBRN  standards  at  user  level  (civil  protection  agencies) 
and industrial level or  
the planned initiative under the Digital Europe Programme on a European Security Data 
Space, which will contribute to the setting of quality standards at EU level. 

 

Action  may  be  required  to  develop  hybrid41  technological  standards  and  best  practices 
applicable  across  the  civil  (e.g.  law  enforcement)  and  defence  sectors.  This  can  include 
defining  and  harmonising  standards,  commonly  agreed  testing  protocols,  best  practices  and 
EU codes of conduct to reduce costs, increasing interoperability, improving the potential for 
synergies  and  enhancing  comprehensibility.  The  EU  can  best  serve  its  interests  by  taking 
leadership  in  developing  standards  at  international  level  (e.g.  on  cybersecurity),  taking  into 
account EU values and priorities (e.g. EU data protection legislation). 

Action  5:  Before  the  end  of  2022,  the  Commission,  in  close  cooperation  with  other  key 
stakeholders,  will  present  a  plan  to  promote  the  use  of  existing  hybrid  civil/defence 
standards and the development of new ones. 

41 The intention to issue hybrid standards (for example, on software defined radio) was first announced in COM(2012) 417 and SWD(2012) 

233 of 26.07.2012, ‘Action Plan for an innovative and competitive Security Industry’. 

10 

 
 
 
 
                                                           
7. Innovation and cross-fertilisation between civil, defence and space industries  
Innovation42  is  at  the  heart  of  Europe’s  efforts  to  lead  the  digital  transition  and  strengthen 
competitiveness.  Ideas  and  technologies  can  emerge  from  big  companies,  start-ups,  RTOs 
and SMEs in any ecosystem and have a general impact on capabilities. Facilitating civilian-
space-defence  cross-fertilisation 
the  current 
fragmentation of the civil-defence innovation landscape. It can further strengthen innovation 
and  lead  to  European  economic  growth,  further  develop  the  Single  Market  and  improve 
security for European citizens. 

(spin-ins  and  spin-offs)  will  address 

An innovation incubator able to develop and accelerate technologies in the field of dual use 
innovation  could  become  a  key  asset  to  boost  innovation  and  create  breakthrough 
technologies  for  the  three  industrial  sectors,  and  to  improve  cross-fertilisation  with  other 
ecosystems.  This  innovation  incubator  may  take  the  shape  of  a  virtual  network,  based  on 
close  collaboration  of  the  Commission  with  the  EIC  and  the  EDA.  It  can,  for  example:  (i) 
screen  successful  results  of  relevant  EU-funded  research  and  propose  them  for  follow-up 
funding  or  user  uptake;  (ii)  support  new  technologies,  with  a  particular  focus  on  dual-use 
innovation coming from start-ups, SMEs and RTOs; and (iii) link and complement sectorial 
initiatives such as the European hub for security hosted by Europol. 

The Commission will also establish Defence Innovation networks, with the goal to provide 
technological  demonstration  services  (hosted  by  RTOs,  universities  or  other  research 
infrastructures)  to  test  the  relevance  of  technologies  stemming  from  the  civil  sector  in 
potential  defence  applications.  Acting  as  innovation  intermediaries  between  actors  of 
different  sizes  and  stemming  from  different  sectors,  such  thematic  networks  will  support 
innovation  in  specific defence value chains  by  fostering the uptake of civil technologies by 
defence  actors,  while  giving  civil  companies  the  opportunity  to  valorise  their  technologies 
towards new defence partners. 

In  addition,  the  following  two  critical  technology  areas  present  promising  opportunities  for 
cross-fertilisation.  

Cybersecurity and cyber defence.  In 2021, the Commission  will set  up the Cybersecurity 
Competence  Centre43  (CCC)  and  the  Network  of  National  Coordination  Centres.  The  CCC 
will  contribute  to  shielding  Europe’s  economy  and  society  from  cyber-attacks,  maintaining 
and  promoting  research  excellence  and  reinforcing  the  competitiveness  of  EU  industry  in 
cybersecurity. Resources for this Centre will come from Digital Europe and Horizon Europe 
as well as from Member States. In parallel, the European Defence Fund (EDF) will support 
European research and development of cyber defence solutions, such as in the areas of cyber 
situational awareness and operation capabilities, cyber training and exercises. The EU Space 
programme will continue to develop solutions for cybersecurity challenges (e.g. Galileo).  

The  Commission  will  seek  to  enhance  cross-fertilisation  and  synergies  between  the  cyber 
work  in  the  civilian,  defence  and  space  spheres  with  a  view  to  decrease  vulnerabilities  and 
create efficiencies44. 

Disruptive  technologies, 
term  ‘disruptive 
technology’  refers  to  a  technology  inducing  a  disruption  or  a  paradigm  shift,  i.e.  a  radical 

including  Artificial  Intelligence45.  The 

42  The  ‘EU  Innovation  Hub  in  internal  security  and  justice’,  recently  announced  by  the  Council  (6158/20  of  19.02.2020),  also  aims  to 

identify opportunities for synergies. 

43 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_2384  
44 See COM(2020) 18 of 16.12.2020 “The EU’s Cybersecurity strategy for the digital decade”, pages 13-19: Building operational capacity to 

prevent, deter and respond 

11 

 
                                                           
rather  than  an  incremental  change.  Development  of  such  a  technology  is  ‘high  risk,  high 
potential  impact’,  and  the  concept  applies  equally  to  the  civil,  defence  and  space  sectors. 
Disruptive  technologies46  for  defence  can  be  based  on  concepts  or  ideas  originating  from 
non-traditional defence actors and find their origins in spin-ins from the civil domain.  

The  EDF  Regulation  envisages  up  to  8%  of  its  budget  to  support  disruptive  technologies, 
promote  the  participation  of  non-traditional  defence  players  and  attract  start-ups  in  defence 
projects  through  open  calls  or  prizes  for  innovative  defence  applications.  These  innovative 
funding mechanisms will be a practical step to showcase innovative ideas and to facilitate the 
cross-fertilisation of innovation between the civil and defence domain. A very significant part 
of  the  DEP  will  support  disruptive  technologies  for  civil  applications.  Other  EU  funding 
instruments,  including  those  of  the  Space  programme  and  the  EIC,  envisage  similar 
investments.   

To foster innovation and ensure the competitiveness of EU industry, an ambitious policy on 
skills will also be necessary. The Commission will take targeted measures to identify possible 
shortages,  most  relevant  skills  and  potential  for  synergies  in  the  interplay  of  civil,  defence 
and space sectors.  

The participation of women and other under-represented groups in the defence and security 
sectors  remains  low.  Given  that  diversity  is  an  important  factor  to  stimulate  innovation, 
stronger  involvement  of  those  profiles  will  be  promoted.  The  Commission  will  also  pursue 
stronger  participation  of  women  innovators  and  address  equality  and  inclusion  goals  (e.g. 
digital accessibility).47 

Action  6:  In  the  first  half  of  2022,  the  Commission  will  launch,  in  cooperation  with  the 
European  Innovation Council and other stakeholders, an  ‘innovation incubator’ to support 
new technologies and shape dual-use innovation. The Commission will also support cross-
border  defence  innovation  networks  that  will  test  the  relevance  of  technologies  from  the 
civil  sector  and  support  responsible  innovation  in  defence  value  chains.  These  actions  will 
also address the current fragmentation of the civil-defence innovation landscape, shortages of 
skills as well as equality and inclusion goals. 

Action 7: From June 2021 onwards, the Commission will set up together with Member States 
the Cybersecurity Competence Centre, allocating the necessary resources from  relevant EU 
programmes  and  instruments.  The  Commission  will  seek  to  strengthen  synergies,  spin-ins 
and  spin-offs  between  the  work  of  the  Centre,  the  EDF  and  the  EU  Space  programme  on 
cybersecurity  and  cyber  defence  with  a  view  to  reduce  vulnerabilities  and  create 
efficiencies. 

Action  8:  Starting  in  the  first  half  of  2022,  to  support  disruptive  technologies,  the 
Commission  will  present  innovative  forms  of  funding  to  promote  participation  of  non-

45  AI  developments  must  be  conducted  openly  across  the  EU,  ensure  the  safety,  the  societal  and  environmental  soundness  of  AI-based 
applications,  consider  ethical  aspects  from  the  outset,  assess  the  risks  and  mitigate  its  potential  for  malicious  use  and  unintended 
discrimination such as gender, racial or disability bias. AI will be developed within a well-coordinated framework which respects the EU's 
values, ethical principles and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The financial contribution from the Union will 
guarantee  a  human-centric  and  inclusive  approach  that  respects  Union  values  and  is  in  line  with  the  “White  Paper  on  Artificial 
Intelligence – A European Approach to AI” COM(65) of 19.2. 2020 for which the Commission will present a follow-up proposal in 2021.  
46  In  line  with  the  EDF  regulation,  the  Commission  can  financially  support  actions  conducive  to  developing  disruptive  technologies  for 
defence. However, in order to ensure that the Union's and its Member States' international obligations are respected, actions relating to 
products  or  technologies  the  use,  development  or  production  of  which  are  prohibited  by  international  law  shall  not  be  financially 
supported.  Thus,  when  proposing  new  defence  products  or  technologies  or  the  upgrade  of  existing  ones,  applicants  should  commit 
themselves to complying with ethical principles, such as those relating to the welfare of human beings and the protection of  the human 
genome, reflected also in relevant national, Union and international law, including the Charter of  Fundamental Rights of the European 
Union and the European Convention on Human Rights and, where relevant, its Protocols. 

47 Communication “A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025”. COM/2020/152 final 

12 

 
                                                                                                                                                                                     
traditional players, attract start-ups and promote cross-fertilisation of solutions, building upon 
opportunities offered by EU programmes and instruments including the DEP and the EDF. 

8. Promoting synergies and cross-fertilisation via flagship projects  

A way to boost synergies between civil, defence and space industries is through the launch of 
flagship projects, which will support critical technologies and provide solutions to important 
societal or strategic challenges. Flagship projects offer great potential for synergies and cross-
fertilisation: at programme level (e.g. complementary calls targeting similar domains, linking 
procurement  needs  with  research,  synergies  in  funding);  through  technology  (e.g.  dual-use 
technologies, especially at a low technological readiness level); and through innovation and 
SMEs (e.g. facilitating new interactions with the defence and security industry).  

Several EU-funded initiatives lay the ground for cross-sectoral synergies, including:  
 

the  Connecting  Europe  Facility,  which  will  co-fund  dual-use  transport  infrastructure 
projects to enhance both civilian and military mobility; 

  Galileo, which offers a public regulated service that could be used for defence purposes; 
  Copernicus, which offers environmental and security services that are regularly used by 
various  user  communities  for  civilian  and  defence  purposes,  in  particular  applications 
such  as  compliance  verification  and  enforcement  with  EU  law  (e.g.  on  environmental 
compliance assurance and crime); 

  SESAR  (Single  European  Sky  Air  traffic  management  Research),  which  looks  at 
technical solutions for flexible civil-military cooperation to maximise the use of airspace; 
the  EU’s  Space  Surveillance  and  Tracking  (SST)  services  to  national  and  commercial 
satellite operators using national assets; 

 

 

  defence-oriented  research  for  safe  and  sustainable  energy  models  (such  as  energy 
generation,  storage,  efficiency  and  management),  leading  to  increased  resilience  and 
operational efficiency in the context of climate change; 
the  consultation  forum  for  Sustainable  energy  in  the  Defence  and  Security  sector48  as 
well  as  the  planned  joint  action  with  EDA  to  identify  barriers  for  offshore  renewable 
energy developments in areas reserved for defence activities and improve co-existence49; 
  medical response and CBRN activities that are (i) supported by rescEU (e.g. transport of 
contaminated and infectious patients), (ii) planned by EDF, or (iii) supported by the EU 
health  programme  (e.g.  joint  action  to  strengthen  health  preparedness  and  response  to 
biological and chemical terror attacks). 

To ensure that these initiatives reach their full potential, the Commission will monitor their 
implementation and identify opportunities to improve the return on investment. For example,  
 
the  Commission  will  ensure  synergies  with  existing  EU  bodies,  programmes  and 
instruments  in  the  preparatory  actions,  which  will  be  launched  in  2021  for  the 
establishment  of  the  EU  Health  Emergency  and  Response  Authority  (HERA)50, 
including  on  emerging  biological  threats  to  human  health  and  incorporating  work  on  a 
European Bio-defence response.  

48 https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/882171 
49 COM(2020) 741 final, An EU Strategy to harness the potential of offshore renewable energy for a climate neutral future  
50  See  also  COM(2020)  724  of  11.11.2020  “Building  a  European  Health  Union:  Reinforcing  the  EU’s  resilience  for  cross-border  health 

threats” 

13 

 
 
                                                           
 

 

 

the Commission will ensure  synergies between defence and civilian investments in cyber, 
cloud, processor and quantum technologies. 
to  better  respond  to  today’s  security  challenges51,  the  Commission  will  seek  to  boost 
uptake  of  the  significant  investment  in  the  Trans-European  secure  communication 
infrastructure  (TESTA).  TESTA  allows  EU-wide  secure  connectivity  (including  video 
conferencing) between EU Institutions, and EU bodies and agencies as well as national 
authorities in the area of defence and security. 
in  the  context  of  the  EU  Maritime  Security  Strategy  (EUMSS)52,  the  Commission  will 
further promote cooperation between agencies that have civil and defence work strands 
(i.e.  FRONTEX,  EMSA  -  European  Maritime  Safety  Agency,  EFCA  -  European 
Fisheries  Control  Agency)  and  support  the  implementation  of  the  coordinated  civil-
military  maritime  security  research  agenda.  Civil-defence  cooperation  is  part  of  the 
basic  principles  of  the  EUMSS  Action  Plan53,  which  includes  actions  on  enhancing 
interconnection and information exchange between civil and military authorities through 
the  maritime  Common  Information  Sharing  Environment  (CISE)54;  promoting  a 
framework  for  a  civil-military-related  ship  building  industry;  and  enhancing  civil-
military cooperation on maritime Search And Rescue (SAR). 

In  addition,  based  on  preliminary  analysis,  and  building  on  initiatives  to  be  funded  by  EU 
instruments, the Commission is launching three flagship projects:  
  EU drone technologies. This flagship project will aim to enhance the competitiveness of 
EU industry in this critical technology area. It will identify areas of cross-fertilisation, so 
that defence projects benefit from innovative developments emerging from SMEs active 
in the field of civilian drones and that civil aeronautics benefit from developments in the 
field of defence. In particular, it will look at the unmanned aircraft itself as well as the 
development  of  technological  building  blocks  needed  for  further  automation  of  drone 
traffic. The flagship project will form part of an overall ambition to be further set out in 
the ‘EU drone strategy 2.0’ that is planned for 202255 as a way to enable and accelerate 
the  further  development  and  use  of  this  technology  in  Europe,  and  thereby  enhance 
technological sovereignty.  

  EU space-based  global secure communications  system.  This  flagship  project  aims at 
providing  access  to  high-speed  connectivity  through  a  multi-orbit  space  infrastructure, 
including low earth orbit satellites, and complementing Galileo/EGNOS and Copernicus 
as the third EU satellite system., By integrating quantum encryption technologies, it will 
ensure  highly  secured  connectivity  and  communication  for  governmental  and 
commercial  services  (e.g.  better  connecting  key  infrastructure,  supporting  crisis 
management,  surveillance  and  potential  mass-market  broadband  applications).  It  will 
enable access to high-speed connectivity for everyone in Europe, and provide a resilient 
connectivity system  allowing Europe to  remain  connected  whatever happens,  including 
large-scale cyber-attacks on the internet. Finally, it will be a geostrategic infrastructure at 
the centre of specific partnerships, for instance with Africa. 

51  In  line  with  the  goal  expressed  in  the  ‘First  Progress  Report  on  the  EU  Security  Union  Strategy,  COM(2020)797’,  to  promote  the 
resilience of digital infrastructures and increase preparedness at national and EU level by building up robust capabilities to prevent, detect, 
respond to and mitigate threats.  

52 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52014JC0009&from=EN 
53 https://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/sites/maritimeaffairs/files/2018-06-26-eumss-revised-action-plan_en.pdf 
54 http://emsa.europa.eu/cise.html 
55  See  page  15  in COM(2020) 789  of 9.12.2020,  ‘Sustainable  and  Smart Mobility  Strategy  –  putting  European  transport  on  track  for  the 

future’. 

14 

 
                                                           
  EU strategy for Space Traffic Management (STM). This flagship project will develop 
STM  standards  and  rules,  which  are  needed  to  avoid  collision  events  that  may  result 
from the proliferation of satellites and space debris and could lead to catastrophic events 
for EU assets in space. STM will also avoid the risk of non-EU standards becoming the 
norm,  as  this  dependence  would  have  a  negative  effect  on  European  efforts  to  achieve 
technological  sovereignty.  This  flagship  should  also  contribute  towards  building  an 
international approach to STM. 

Each of the flagship projects could become a game-changer due to its size or impact as well 
as  its  potential  benefits  for  Europe’s  technological  sovereignty  and  broader  society.  To 
further develop  each project,  the  Commission  will continue to  analyse use cases, technical 
characteristics,  which  critical  technologies  to  use,  costs  and  possible  funding  instruments, 
governance structures and innovative ideas (related to technology or the market) from SMEs, 
start-ups and RTOs. On this basis, the Commission will decide on possible follow-up steps 
for each project, including legislative proposals when appropriate. 

The technology roadmaps for some of the critical technologies identified in Section 5 could 
also lead to future flagship projects.  

The  Commission  launches  intensified  dialogue  and  development  work  on  three  flagship 
projects  with  the  potential  to  become  game  changers.  After  adequate  analysis  and 
consultation  with  stakeholders,  the  Commission  will  decide  on  possible  follow-up  steps, 
including legislative proposals where appropriate. 

Action 9: ‘EU drone technologies’. 

Action 10: ‘EU space-based global secure communications system’. 

Action 11: ‘Space Traffic Management’. 

9. Making it happen  

The  Commission  will  oversee  the  implementation  of  this  Action  Plan,  in  close  cooperation 
with  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council.  It  will  pay  particular  attention  to  the  more 
effective  and  efficient  implementation  of  policy  priorities  (thematic  policies  and  policies 
promoting  general  competitiveness  and  research  and  innovation),  while  safeguarding  a 
maximum of coherence and synergies across EU programmes and instruments. 

To promote cross-fertilisation between civil, defence and space industries over the long term, 
the Commission will monitor the specific progress of each of the 11 listed actions and will 
present a progress report every two years. The timeline for the implementation of each action 
will be aligned with the planning of the relevant EU instruments. 

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