JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL An EU Approach for Space Traffic Management An EU contribution addressing a global challenge
Date: 2022-02-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, European security, aerospace industry, extra-atmospheric space, research and development, satellite communications, space policy, space transport, sustainable mobility, use of outer space

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY Strasbourg, 15.2.2022  JOIN(2022) 4 final  JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL An EU Approach for Space Traffic Management   An EU contribution addressing a global challenge  
 
 
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INTRODUCTION 

Given the ever-growing volume of space debris and the exponential increase of space traffic, 
space is increasingly congested, threatening the viability and security of space infrastructure 
and  operations.  This  unprecedented  population  of  objects  is  a  real,  concrete  risk  impacting 
routine operations in orbit every single day, posing a direct threat to the safety and security 
for orbital traffic and space sustainability. We now stand at a crossroads: if we do not find 
ways to manage space traffic, our past and present space activities will jeopardise the safety, 
security and sustainability of outer space and, as a result, our future ability to rely on space as 
enabler of key services in benefit of humankind.  

Close approaches  are becoming more common in  Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as the number of 
satellites increases due to the proliferation of mega-constellations. Recently, a growing number 
of  incidents  have  occurred  which  could  have  had  catastrophic  results.  The  sheer  number  of 
trackable  and  untrackable  space  objects  and  the  rapid  pace  of  space  operations  increase 
exponentially the risk of potential future incidents. The potential repercussions may render 
certain  orbits  unusable  for  decades  to  come;  and  as  a  direct  corollary,  severely 
compromise  or  lead  to  failure  of  space  operations.  The  latter,  considering  the  increasing 
dependence on space data and services, entails a high level of strategic risk and may disrupt 
key  services  such  as  communications,  civil  protection  and  emergency  response.  Should  for 
instance  the  provision  of  EU  global  Positioning,  Navigation,  Timing  (PNT)  and  Earth 
Observation data and services be interrupted or severely compromised, this would have a direct 
impact  upon  the  security,  safety,  economy,  and  well-being  of  European  citizens,  therefore 
limiting our freedom of action. 

In a context of an increasingly contested space environment, Space Traffic Management (STM) 
will contribute to the security and defence dimensions of the EU in space. Space services are 
key enablers for defence and civilian capabilities. Because of their strategic nature, space assets 
are thus becoming targets of various kinds of threats. Their disruption would seriously affect 
the ability of the EU and its Member States to defend themselves. Additionally, decreasing the 
risk  of  in-orbit  collision  will  enhance  the  resilience  of  space  infrastructure,  including  those 
satellites  supporting  defence  and  security  applications.  Building  autonomous  –  yet 
interoperable  with  our  main  partners  –  EU  Space  Surveillance  and  Tracking  capacities  to 
support STM is therefore of paramount importance. A global STM effort would also contribute 
to  transparency  and  confidence  building  in  general,  and  help  avoid  misunderstandings  and 
deescalate tensions in case of incidents. 

Since the orbital environment is a globally shared resource, space operators worldwide are to 
varying degrees interdependent. Consequently, the establishment of STM requires a buy-in by 
all space-faring actors. 

The EU is a major international space-faring actor with an own European Space Policy and 
Space  Programme  including  Position,  Navigation  &  Timing  (PNT)  and  Earth  Observation  
components. The EU has therefore a legitimate interest and obligation to actively contribute to 
the global debate and take a distinct stance in shaping the necessary actions for the management 
of  space  traffic.  The  EU  already  promotes  a  multilateral  approach  to  ensure  the 
preservation of the long-term safety and sustainability of activities in outer space, with 
the objective of reducing threats and risks for all space systems. The EU has been engaged 

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in the preservation of a safe, sustainable, stable and secure outer space for decades and remains 
committed to the peaceful use of outer space. 

The Council, the Commission and the High Representative have recognised the need for an EU 
STM  approach  to  address  these  global  multifaceted  challenges  to  the  safety,  security  and 
sustainability  of  space  operations,  in  a  series  of  a  high-level  policy  documents  urging  for 
action.1 

In the absence of an international regulatory framework, several public and private initiatives 
seek to address safety of space operations. In the race to establish a secure environment in space 
to guarantee security on the ground the EU must act now, swiftly, collectively and resolutely.  

The objective of this Joint Communication is to lay out a concrete EU approach on STM 
for a safe, sustainable and secure use of space, preserving EU interests in full compliance 
with the respective competences of the EU and its Member States. 

2  THE IMPERATIVE FOR AN EU STM APPROACH 

The imperative for the EU to proceed with policy-making and action in STM, given the lack of 
international norms and standards, rests upon some primary questions – on the boundaries of 
this rapidly evolving public policy domain, on the main drivers urging for action, and on how 
the EU could respond to the exigencies of this global challenge. 

2.1  The definition of STM 

The first issue to address is the absence of a consensus on an internationally agreed, clear 
definition of STM along with its primary objectives2. While a consensual definition of the term 
is yet to emerge at international level, the protection of space infrastructure and the guarantee 
of  safe  and  sustainable  use  of  outer  space  in  the  long  term  cannot  wait  in  view  of  an  ever-
growing number of actors and objects in space.  

Based on an exhaustive study of definitions and approaches3 and in order to progress at EU 
level, this Communication defines STM as the means and rules to access, conduct activities 
in, and return from outer space safely, sustainably and securely.  

STM relates to the following elements: 

a)  Space Situational Awareness (SSA) activities, including Space Surveillance and 

Tracking (SST); and 

b)  orbital debris mitigation and remediation; 

c)  management of space orbits and radio spectrum; 

1 On 22 February 2021, the Commission adopted an Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries, which announced 
the  launch  of  intensified  dialogue  and  development  work  towards  an  STM  flagship  project.  The  May  2021  Competitiveness  Council 
conclusions on ‘New Space for People’ stressed ‘the importance of developing a Space Traffic Management (STM) approach for Europe in 
the future and guiding global standards’. The process of the Strategic Compass, currently debated at the Council, acknowledges the importance 
of developing an EU approach on STM as a useful contribution to the Common Foreign and Security Policy objectives of the EU. 
2 Various definitions have been proposed in several political, academic and international fora. At the same time, the complexity for defining 
STM has increased with new concepts emerging, such as Space Traffic Safety (STS), Space Traffic Coordination (STC), and more recently 
Space Traffic Coordination and Management (STCM). 
3 Pilot Project on Space Traffic Management – The rise of importance of Space Traffic Management (STM) 

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d)  the entire life-cycle of space operations including launch phase, in-orbit operations of 

spacecraft, and end-of-life de-orbit operations; 

e)  re-entry phase of spacecraft into the airspace (both controlled and uncontrolled). 

This  working  definition  remains  dynamic  and  might  further  evolve  during  the  upcoming 
discussions on STM at  EU and international level, detailing and complementing the various 
phases of the above activities. 

2.2  The compelling need to act 

After 50 years of commercial use of space systems, the need for an EU STM approach is more 
compelling.  Itis  characterised  by  four  consecutive  developments  in  the  space  sector.  These 
drivers, including the congestion and wider range of actors in the space environment, render 
STM indispensable and prompt a global policy-making response. 

Firstly, the economic aspects of space are changing with the era of “new space”4. The cost 
of sending satellites into space is continuously decreasing, notably due to the use of re-usable 
launchers and the development of micro-launchers. At the same time, the development of small 
satellites is lowering the price tag to take payloads into space. This has attracted venture capital 
given that the potential return on investment is growing.  

The consequence of the changing economic environment of space activities is a strong increase 
in  the  number  of  satellites  in  orbit,  notably  with  the  development  of  so-called  mega-
constellations. Since the beginning of the space race, about 6,000 launches have put in orbit 
11,800 satellites of which 4,550 are currently operational5. It is estimated that more than 20,000 
additional satellites will be launched in the next ten years6. This growing number of satellites 
increases  the  complexity  of  space  operations  and  makes  it  impossible  to  safely  operate  a 
spacecraft not taking into account other spacecraft. 

Secondly,  the  rise  in  number  of  satellites  and  space  traffic  activity  increases  the  volume  of 
debris generated and the risk of collisions (see Table 1). Already today, there are around 128 
million  pieces  of debris smaller than 1cm  orbiting Earth, and approximately 900,000 pieces 
between 1 and 10cm. The current count of large debris (defined as 10cm or larger) is 34,0007. 

4 Definition of New Space: private companies, SMEs and start-ups that develop novel space technologies and applications 
5 Source: Eurospace. More than 470 spacecraft were launched every year in 2017, 2018 and 2019, while only 110 spacecraft were launched on 
average per year between 2000 and 2013 
6 An indicative list: Space X Starlink, Amazon Kuiper, the success of One Web, Boeing V-band, Iceye, Kepler, Telesat LEO, Spire, Theia, etc. 
7 Source: ESA 

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Table 1: Events = risk or high risk of collision between two space objects as detected by EU SST. 

Thirdly, space is increasingly contested, threatening the security and resilience of the EU’s 
and Member States’ space assets and highlighting the urgent need for international discussions 
to agree on and implement norms of responsible behaviour in outer space by state and non-state 
actors.  Especially,  LEO,  the  area  of  outer  space  around  Earth  that  includes  all  orbits  below 
2,000km, and is the home of the International Space Station and of thousands of other satellites, 
is rapidly becoming a hazardous area due to space debris and inoperable spacecraft orbiting at 
very high speeds. A cascade where each collision increases the likelihood of further collisions 
is increasingly becoming a real risk for the operability of LEO. 8 

Fourthly, whilst these three interlinked developments are occurring, there currently exist only 
very  limited  global  “rules  of  the  road”  on  conduct  in  outer  space.  Despite  notable 
achievements at United Nations (UN) level9, the development of a comprehensive approach at 
international  level  is  facing  considerable  diplomatic  and  political  hurdles,  which  add  to  the 
urgency to act. 

In  the  light  of  these  developments,  the  necessity  for  the  EU  to  act  and  develop  an  EU 
approach on STM is compelling. 

2.3  The need to act collectively 

As space is global and not confined by national boundaries, the capacity of one country to 
impose  its  legal  obligations on  another in  the space domain  is limited, even if major space-

8 Cascade in which each collision generates space debris. 
9 In 2018, the COPUOS developed 21 guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. 

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faring nations might address the challenge of  STM by adopting national guidelines, like the 
US with the adoption of the Space Policy Directive 3 in 2018.10  

If Member States and the EU want to protect their space assets, it is imperative to work on a 
collective  approach  with  the  involvement  of  all  EU  stakeholders.  This  will  increase  EU 
resilience  by  avoiding  technological  dependencies,  ensure  strategic  autonomy  through  the 
development of EU capacities, and guarantee cooperation with partners, in particular through 
burden sharing. 

The EU is well-positioned to act , being able to identify needs, aggregate requirements, 
synthesise stakeholders’ views, leverage technology and coordinate external engagement. 
The EU approach on STM will build on four avenues developed in parallel 1) assessing the 
STM requirements and impacts for the EU, 2) enhancing EU operational capabilities to support 
STM, 3) fostering the STM regulatory aspects and 4) promoting the EU STM approach at the 
international level. 

3  ASSESSING THE STM REQUIREMENTS AND IMPACTS FOR THE EU 

The EU needs a clear understanding of the requirements and the potential impact of STM 
developments on various European stakeholders. Beyond the capacity to aggregate needs and 
establish requirements, this entails mobilising the various stakeholders across the civilian and 
military communities and ensuring convergence on common level. 

The Commission and the High Representative, within their respective competences, will set up 
a process  of consultation and discussion with all relevant EU stakeholders  to  assess the 
needs and impact of STM on the various policy areas of the EU. For instance, in the area of 
transport, in particular Aviation where consistency between space and air-traffic management 
needs  to  be  ensured,  in  order  to  ensure  specifically  the  safety,  security  and  sustainable 
performance of aviation, due to the increasing traffic to and from space, and from uncontrolled 
debris  re-entering  the  airspace.  As  a  result,  cooperation  between  the  different  actors  and 
authorities  should  be  fostered.  To  this  end,  an  inclusive  and  transparent  consultation 
mechanism will be established to gather the positions of the stakeholders involved, including 
the EU space industry. A regular dialogue on STM will address inter alia the specific needs of 
the European space ecosystem.  

While affirming the principle of a civilian STM under civilian control, the EU approach on 
STM should also take into account the specific needs of defence and security as an integral 
element  of a common strategic culture for the space domain. The defence requirements  and 
constraints for STM could relate to the operation of military satellites, of military payloads or 
of  civilian  satellites  and  services,  which  have  military  users,  such  as  the  Public  Regulated 
Service (PRS) of Galileo. The military could also have requirements linked to specific areas of 
operations such as Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations. 

Capturing both the civilian and the military needs and analysing the impact of STM across the 
various  policy  areas  of  the  Union  will  be  carried  out  by  the  Commission  and  the  High 

10 https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/space-policy-directive-3-national-space-traffic-management-policy/ 

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Representative with the support of the European Defence Agency (EDA) for consolidating the 
specific military needs in question and acting as the military interface for STM. 

Action 1: 

By  mid-2022,  the  Commission  and  the  High  Representative  will  set  up  a  consultation 
mechanism with all relevant EU stakeholders. This will aggregate by early 2023 the civilian 
and military requirements towards an EU STM approach and maintain a regular dialogue on 
STM-related  developments  covering  both  civilian  and  military  needs.  As  part  of  this 
mechanism, the EDA will work with Member States to consolidate military needs. 

4  ENHANCING EU OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES TO SUPPORT STM 

To perform STM activities, it is necessary to be able to observe space traffic continuously. The 
EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) constitutes the operational pillar for the EU 
STM approach. The EU SST Consortium11 provides data, information and services related to 
the surveillance and tracking of space objects orbiting the Earth. It will be replaced by the EU 
SST Partnership in accordance with the Regulation establishing the Union Space Programme 
(‘Space Regulation’).12 This new Partnership will include more Member States willing to join 
and will provide additional services for European and international users.13 

4.1  Towards  an  autonomous  EU  Space  Surveillance  and  Tracking  of  space 

objects 

The  work  performed  by  the  EU  SST  Consortium  since  2014  has  paved  the  way  for  the 
development of an effective and reliable protection of space assets of the EU especially the 
satellites of the European Union Space Programme, its Member States and other space 
operators that have registered with the service.  

Today,  EU  SST  is  providing  collision  avoidance  services14  to  more  than  260  satellites 
distributed in Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit and Geostationary Orbit using Member 
States’ civil and military assets that remain under the control of its Member States and the EU 
as provided for in the Space Regulation. As part of the Space Situational Awareness component 
of the EU Space Programme, EU SST is the key operational capability for future EU STM. It 
also supports other EU policies requiring autonomous decision-making15.  

In  order  to  face  the  STM  challenges,  the  EU  must  further  develop  its  SST  capabilities  to  a 
sufficient  level  of  autonomy,  while  taking  into  account  ongoing  work  carried  out  by  the 
Member  States,  including  in  the  framework  of  the  European  Defence  Fund  (EDF).  This 
requires: 

11 The EU SST Consortium established by Decision 541/2014/EU is the entity delivering the EU SST services. It is composed of seven Member 
States, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. 
12 Regulation (EU) 2021/696 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing the Union Space Programme and 
the  European  Union  Agency  for  the  Space  Programme  and  repealing  Regulations  (EU)  No  912/2010,  (EU)  No  1285/2013  and  (EU)  No 
377/2014 and Decision No 541/2014/EU, OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 69–148. 
13 The Space Regulation provides a budget of EUR 200 million for SST.  
14 Article 55 1) a) of the Space Regulation defines the Collision Avoidance service provided by the EUSST as followed: the risk assessment of 
collision between spacecraft or between spacecraft and space debris and the potential generation of collision avoidance alerts during the phases 
of launch, early orbit, orbit raising, in-orbit operations and disposal phases of spacecraft missions. 
15 For example, civil protection in case of risky re-entry of space objects for instance,  and CFSP/CSDP as recalled in the Strategic Compass 
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- 

Improvement of the performance of EU SST services and development of additional SST 
services – The performance of the operational capabilities needs to be reinforced to cope 
with future STM operational challenges; new services need to be developed in order to 
prepare the EU for STM operational challenges; and 

-  Use of new technologies – New technologies are already applied today; however, their 

- 

use needs to be reinforced in anticipation of the new challenges raised by STM. 
Involvement  of  the  EU  industrial  ecosystem  –EU  industry  already  contributes  to  EU 
SST; however, their potential could be leveraged further, with regard to SMEs and start-
ups, building upon the public services delivered by EU SST. 

4.2  Improve and extend EU SST services  

EU SST provides services based mainly on the United States (US) catalogue of space objects, 
complementing this catalogue increasingly with its own data and national catalogues. EU SST’s 
main value added is to provide an intermediary task in case of high-interest events, for example 
producing  more  up-to-date  and  precise  data  through  the  tasking  of  EU  SST  assets  and  the 
processing of data. 

So far, the US have been providing data on space objects above 10cm and continue improving 
their  catalogue.  In  order  to  increase  its  resilience  through  diversity  of  sources,  ensure  its 
strategic autonomy and support cooperation with partners, in particular through burden sharing, 
the EU needs to increase the performance of its SST operational capabilities. To this end, 
it needs to ensure that: 

 

 

the EU SST Partnership pursues the necessary activities in order to be able to detect all 
objects equal and above 10cm. 
Activities  for  the  development  of  new  assets  could  include,  for  example,  the 
development  of  space-based  sensors  in  the  context  of  the  Secure  Connectivity 
Programme, and more performant radar and telescope systems. The development of new 
technologies and sensors has to make best use of civil and defence synergies.  

the  EU  SST  Partnership  has  access  to  more  SST  assets  located  outside  continental 
Europe.  
The capability to observe space objects efficiently is related directly to the geographical 
positioning of the assets (radars, telescopes and lasers). To date, EU assets are mostly 
located in continental Europe. To the extent possible, coverage of the sky should be 
enhanced with EU-controlled assets located outside the European continent. 

Furthermore, the number of satellites launched and the pace of launches is increasing rapidly, 
which automatically increases the alerts related to collision avoidance and re-entries. The EU 
SST  Consortium  provides  three  services:  Collision  Avoidance,  which  supports  spacecraft 
operators in managing conjunctions of their satellites during routine and special operations, as 
well as Re-entry Analysis and Fragmentation Analysis. The Space Regulation introduces two 
additional services: Mitigation and Remediation16.  

These  new  additional  services  and  an  evolution  to  upgrade  the  functionality  of  the  existing 
services  will  be  required  in  order  to  address  new  challenges  in  space,  such  as  mega 
constellations. Building on the work already carried out by the EU SST Consortium, the future 

16 Space debris mitigation aims to reduce the generation of space debris in the future and space debris remediation aims to develop methods to 
manage the existing space debris. 

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EU SST Partnership should develop the additional services related to the EU STM approach. 
These services could serve to support mitigation operations, and complement remediation 
and  in-orbit  servicing  operations,  by  increasing  the  safety  of  critical  operations,  by 
developing platforms for communication and coordination of satellite operators registered as 
users of EU SST, and by providing in-orbit contingency and anomaly support etc. 

4.3  Develop new technologies to tackle STM requirements 

The  development  of  automatic  collision-avoidance  services  and  the  use  of  artificial 
intelligence  and  quantum  technology  should  be  accelerated  to  cope  with  the  increased 
number of space objects and EU SST users. In addition, the surge of operators in general will 
require  for  the  EU  to  ensure  that  the  false  alarm  rate  (number  of  false  collision  warnings) 
decreases in order to focus on the most problematic conjunctions. The EU will address these 
technological challenges through research and development activities that are key to foster the 
quality of SST services provided.  

This will require mobilising available funding opportunities at Commission and Member 
States  level,  including  synergy  funding  or  blending  of  EU  and  national  funds.  This  could 
potentially be complemented by funds of the European Space Agency (ESA) in support of EU 
policy, provided that the security interests of the EU and its Member States are protected. 

In  addition,  synergies  between  research  activities  supported  under  Horizon  Europe17  and 
activities under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and 
the European Defence Fund (EDF) need to be ensured. 

4.4  Making the most of the EU industrial ecosystem  

EU industry is directly involved in the development of the current SST operational capabilities: 
EU companies are participating in calls for tenders published by the members of the EU SST 
Consortium.  As  a  result,  up  to  75%  of  the  funds  provided  by  the  EU  to  the  EU  SST 
Consortium  are  sub-contracted  to  EU  industry.18  This  has  already  created  a  European 
industrial  ecosystem  around  SST  that  should  be  in  a  position  to  contribute  to  the  EU  STM 
approach.  

It is necessary to ensure that all the potential offered by EU industry, including New Space, 
is  exploited  building  upon  the  public  services  delivered  by  EU  SST.  SST  Data  could 
constitute a real opportunity for EU industry. The Space Regulation foresees the development 
of an EU SST catalogue19 by end of 2024 using EU SST sensors. This catalogue20 will be 
based on the work performed in recent years with the establishment of an EU SST data-sharing 
platform (EU SST database21). The development of improved SST operational capabilities and 
additional  assets  located  outside  continental  Europe  will  further  improve  the  quality  of  the 
future EU catalogue. Some layers of this catalogue and the related data-sharing platform will 

17 The term ‘Horizon Europe’ in this document refers to the Specific programme implementing Horizon Europe and the European Institute of 
Innovation and Technology; activities carried out under them have an exclusive focus on civil applications. 
18 The remaining 25% are consumed by the participating national entities of the EU SST Consortium itself. 
19 A consistent record and history of traceable data (e.g. object information, measurement data, orbit data, uncertainty) that are maintained by 
a unique system. 
20 The EUSST Catalogue should be available by end of 2024.  
21 The EU SST Database is the platform for sharing, storing and disseminating data and information within EU SST (e.g. object information, 
measurement data, orbit data, tasking requests, national and EU SST catalogues) and connects to the Operations Centres of the Member States. 
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be made available to EU companies for research activities related to the development of added-
value derived STM services in Europe and at the international level.  

In addition, the dialogue with the EU’s SST-related industry needs to be intensified. The aim is 
to make the best use of the EU’s capabilities and innovation in the field of SST. This should 
take the form  of actions initiated by the EU SST Partnership to  reap the benefits  of the EU 
industry’s innovation potential. Specific measures could include for example regular Industry 
Days where companies have the opportunity to present the new technologies and innovations, 
or as within the framework of the CASSINI initiative,22 dedicated hackathons for SMEs and 
start-ups, calls, grants, prize, etc.  

These measures, while stimulating innovation, will feed the EU SST Partnership with the latest 
technological developments. 

Action 2: The Commission, with the support of the EU SST Partnership, will 

a) improve the performance of existing services: 

- by mid 2023 (preparation phase) elaborate an architecture analysis of the future STM needs 
including identification of the necessary resources for a more efficient and performant EU SST 
system, able to detect all objects above 10cm; and 

- by 2025 (implementation phase), start the deployment of additional assets. 

b) develop new services: 

- by mid-2023, propose new services to address forthcoming challenges raised in STM;  

- by 2025, validate the new services that will become operational. 

c) foster technology: 

- by end of 2023 liaise with the EU industry to establish a specific forum on  technological and 
innovation cross-fertilisation; 

- by end of 2023, prepare a detailed research plan targeting new technologies; and 

- by end of 2025, assess its implementation process.  

Action 3: The Commission will initiate specific actions in the framework of CASSINI to reap 
the full innovation potential of start-ups.  

Action 4: The Commission, in coordination with the EU SST Partnership, will make accessible 
to industry: 

- by 2023 parts of the data sharing platform; and 

- by 2025 parts of the future EU SST catalogue. 

22 https://ec.europa.eu/defence-industry-space/eu-space-policy/space-research-and-innovation/cassini-space-entrepreneurship-initiative_en  
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5  FOSTERING STM REGULATORY ASPECTS  

The EU STM approach also  addresses the regulatory aspects of STM. It  will comprise non-
binding measures (standards and guidelines) and, as well, binding obligations (legislation) at 
EU level. 

5.1  Monitoring the development of STM standards and guidelines  

The benefits of standards for European industry  are  broad23. STM  standards developed by 
space stakeholders aim to ensure interoperability and safety, reduce costs and facilitate space 
manoeuvers. Standards help manufacturers reduce costs, anticipate technical requirements, and 
increase productivity, innovation and efficiency.  

The space sector is highly technical and requires the use of standards at every stage of the value-
chain. National, European and international standardisation bodies adopt space standards. Other 
UN technical agencies play an important role in the establishment of sectorial world standards. 
Beyond the traditional standardisation bodies24, several specific actors exist in the space 
sector25.  Space  related  guidelines  are  also  developed  within  the  UN  framework,  the  latest 
example  are  the  UN’s  “Long  Term  Sustainability  guidelines”.26  The  STM  standards  and 
guidelines have a direct impact on the safe and sustainable use of outer space.  

The EU should foster an EU common approach towards standards because they have a tangible 
effect on the shaping of the future global STM system. A specific forum aiming at ensuring a 
holistic EU approach on STM in international standardisation fora dealing with STM will be 
established  in  close  cooperation  with  the  Member  States.  All  other  EU  actors  will  have  the 
opportunity to participate, such as the EU SST Partnership, EU industry, etc. 

5.2  Development and promotion of STM standards and guidelines 

The EU should facilitate the development of STM standards and guidelines aiming at ensuring 
the safe and sustainable use of space.  

For that reason, the EU should be at the forefront of the development of STM guidelines 
and  standards.  The  EU  should  be  pro-active  at  ensuring  the  development  of  international 
standards  where  feasible  and  needed,  and  developing  its  own  EU  standards  whenever 
appropriate. In addition, the EU should prioritise the most impactful standards and guidelines, 
and promote their implementation through a toolbox and recommendations. 

The  Commission  intends  to  develop  a  toolbox  based  on  identified  STM  standards  and 
guidelines,  which  could  help  Member  States  when  they  grant  licences  for  the  provision  of 
services requested by satellite operators over their territory. The objective is to ensure that risks 
related to  space traffic (interference and collision avoidance in  particular) are identified and 
mitigated. The approach would be similar to the EU toolbox for 5G security27. 

23 On 2 February 2022, the Commission adopted an EU Strategy on Standardisation: Setting global standards in support of a resilient, green 
and digital EU single market, COM(2022) 31 final, which underlines the link of standardisation with projection of values, industrial leadership, 
the changing geopolitical landscape, and the EU’s role as trusted actor for developing global standards. 
24 National Standardisation Bodies, CEN/CENELEC and the International Standardisation Organisation 
25 Such as the European Cooperation for Space Standards (ECSS), the Consultative Committee for Space Data and Systems (CCSDS), and the 
Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC). 
26 Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, A/AC.105/2018/CRP.20, 27 June 2018. 
27 The EU toolbox for 5G security | Shaping Europe’s digital future (europa.eu) 

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While working closely with Member States in the standardisation field, the Commission could 
support the selection of STM standards and guidelines, which should be promoted at EU level.  
These standards could for example concern the use of active devices to facilitate the tracking 
of  satellites,  the  warning  of  any  major  incident  or  re-entry,  as  well  as  the  development  of 
guidelines for special cases of STM, such as non-manoeuvrable satellites or constellations.  

5.3  Incentivise STM standards and guidelines  

In order to foster the use by EU operators of the guidelines and standards recommended at the 
EU level, incentive measures will be put in place. For instance, the EU will consider: 

  use a ‘safe space’ label similar to the concept of the eco-label. Those companies and 
operators using the label could increase their share in the market by acceding to clients 
sensitive to safe and sustainable space operations; 

  adapt  award  criteria  to  promote  the  use  of  recommended  guidelines  and  standards 
within  relevant  EU  instruments  (Horizon  Europe,  Space  Programme  Regulation, 
InvestEU, European Defence Fund, and other space initiatives, etc.),  

  establish  a  list  of  companies  and  operators  which  implement  STM  guidelines  or 

standards.  

Any incentive tool would require establishing a mechanism to supervise the implementation 
of the recommended guidelines and standards. The EU, in close cooperation with Member 
States, will consider the development of a certification mechanism for STM in order to be 
able to verify the implementation by companies of the recommended guidelines and standards.  

5.4  Towards STM obligations 

In  the  short  term,  certain  limited  obligations  involving  limited  costs  for  the  industry 
should be envisaged. The steep increase of  traffic to  and from  space  and of  the number of 
satellites  in  the  different  orbits  of  space  and  the  necessity  to  avoid  the  generation  of  debris 
through  further  collision  compels  to  impose  certain  obligations  to  every  satellite  operator. 
Therefore, a legal proposal should impose that all satellite operators providing services within 
the EU should register with a collision avoidance service that offers at least a similar level of 
performances as the current services offered by EU SST.  

In addition, the entities in charge of collision avoidance services should have communication 
mechanisms and contacts (i.e. operators’ directory) at their disposal for managing conjunction 
events  with  other  service  providers  to  ensure  timely  responses  and  coordinated  collision 
avoidance manoeuvres. 

In  the  medium  term,  a  more  comprehensive  regulatory  approach  on  STM  should  be 
developed, in consultation with Member States, to identify relevant areas for legislation while 
preserving the competitiveness of the EU industry, in line with the respective competences of 
the EU and its Member States.  

Some Member States have adopted national legislation regarding STM. Others are considering 
the possibility to adopt national measures. A fragmented approach to space at EU level not only 
prevents the emergence of a well-functioning internal market important to the development of 
EU  goods  and  services  associated  with  the  use  of  Space,  but  can  also  have  negative 
repercussions  on  other  Union  policies  such  as  climate,  environment  and  transport,  and  in 
particular in aviation, where efforts to reduce fragmentation of European airspace are ongoing. 
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A coherent approach at the EU level appears to be necessary. To that end and based on the EU 
stakeholders’ needs and the identified rules and standards, and after having duly associated the 
Member States to the consultation process, the EU should make a legislative proposal covering 
STM rules.  

This legislative proposal should aim at developing of a common level playing field at the EU 
level, which would ensure that the most virtuous operators are not be penalised. It should also 
guarantee  that  the  EU  operators  do  not  suffer  from  distortion  of  competition  by  operators 
established outside the EU benefiting from less stringent standards, for instance by imposing 
equal  treatment  to  EU  operators  and  to  any  satellite  operator  intending  to  provide  services 
within the EU. 

On the substance, the potential proposal could be limited to the establishment of essential STM 
requirements taking into account existing EU level requirements for air traffic management. 
Subsequently, the European standardisation organisations could develop the relevant technical 
requirements for STM in the form of harmonised standards or guidelines, which in turn would 
allow manufacturers and operators to prove compliance with these essential requirements.  

Action  5:  The  Commission  and  the  High  Representative  depending  on  the  EU  competence 

involved and in close collaboration with the Member States, will: 

-  by  end  of  2023  establish  the  necessary  forum  to  ensure  that  effective  information  and 
coordination regarding the standards and guidelines developed at the international level is in 
place in the EU.  

That forum will with the support of the EU SST Partnership, EU industry and ESA: 

  a) develop new European and international standards; 

  b)  promote selected standards and guidelines at the EU level; and 

  c)  create a toolbox to assisting Member States in licensing requests by satellite operators. 

Action 6: The Commission, in close collaboration with Member States, will: 

- by end of 2023 identify possible incentive measures and a certification mechanism towards 
the implementation of STM standards and guidelines and 

- by end of 2024 establish a certification mechanism and implement incentive measures. 

Action 7: The Commission, in close collaboration with Member States, will 

- by end of 2023 propose an initial, limited set of obligations; 

- by mid-2024 identify possible areas for an EU STM legislation and 

- by end of 2024 make a proposal for an EU STM legislation. 

6  PROMOTING THE EU STM APPROACH GLOBALLY 

The EU STM approach aims to contribute to a global endeavour, pairing existing regional 
capabilities  and  tools  with  an  overall  ambition  for  global  cooperation.  This  constitutes  the 

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‘external  avenue’  of  the  EU  STM  approach,  which  will  actively  promote  pragmatic  and 
concrete solutions towards a more global STM. This would meet the EU’s core principles and 
values regarding outer space while preserving its diplomatic, economic and political interests 
as well as those of its Member States.  

6.1  Promoting a multilateral STM 

The EU STM approach aims at contributing to a global STM to be managed at international 
level. The EU already: 

  promotes the preservation of a safe, secure and sustainable space environment and 

the peaceful use of outer space on an equitable and mutual acceptable basis;  

 

stresses the importance of transparency and confidence-building measures; and  

  advocates  responsible  behaviour  in  outer  space  in  the  framework  of  the  United 

Nations. 

Building upon these principles, the EU approach  on  STM will  favour a multilateral  STM 
approach in the framework of the UN. As part of the EU STM approach, the Union will seek 
to  foster the discussion on STM in the relevant UN fora in  particular the Committee on the 
Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPUOS), but also in the Conference of Disarmament with the 
objective to table a discussion at the UN General Assembly. The EU will identify and engage 
with  the  relevant  UN  bodies,  which  could  support  or  contribute  to  such  activities.  The 
International Telecommunications Union, for instance, is already involved in the management 
of orbits and filing of frequencies, and routinely handles standardisation activities in various 
areas.  The  International  Civil  Aviation  Organisation  is  also  involved  in  the  development  of 
standards in the areas where space operations interact with civil aviation. 

Acceptance by the EU of the relevant United Nations Treaties and Conventions on outer space, 
which  Member  States  have  repeatedly  called  upon,  would  help  enhance  EU  credibility 
regarding the promotion of the sustainable use of and responsible behaviours in space, as well 
as  strengthen  its  position  and  the  legitimacy  at  international  level.  The  international  rules 
applicable to space activities are included in five international conventions, commonly referred 
to as the “five United Nations treaties on outer space”, which currently do not recognise the 
participation of international organisations. The Rescue Agreement, the Liability Convention 
and the Registration Convention allow that participation, although  not  at equal  footing with 
State parties. Considering the parallel competence that the Union enjoys in the area of space 
alongside its Member States, actions should be undertaken to explore EU participation in the 
Rescue  Agreement,  the  Liability  Convention  and  the  Registration  Convention  while 
safeguarding  the  specific  interests  of  the  Union  related  to  the  implementation  of  the  Space 
Programme. 

6.2  Towards regional STM contributions to a global effort  

A future STM regime would ideally be organised globally. Today very few countries in the 
world can independently deploy a globally performing SST system capable of processing the 
necessary  services  to  perform  STM,  as  described  in  chapter  4,  or  define  and  oversee  STM 
Regulatory  aspects  described  in  chapter  5.  Thus,  forging  partnerships  and  sharing  the  STM 
burden  through  complementary  capabilities  and  norms  is  a  practical  solution  in  everyone's 
interest. 

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Furthermore,  STM  relies  on  certain  level  of  trust  among  space-faring  nations  and  requires 
redundant systems. An approach made of regional contributions is a pragmatic, bottom-
up way to build this confidence and ensure the necessary redundancy. Once the various regional 
elements  of  STM  are  mature  enough  and  sufficiently  convergent,  and  there  is  sufficient 
consensus  on  the  various  rules  and  standards  described  in  chapter  4,  the  STM  regional 
components could then form part of a global STM, with an appropriate governance still to be 
determined.  

The development of the EU approach on STM within the Union is only the first step of a more 
general  process.  The  aim  will  be  to  extend  the  EU  STM  approach  from  the  Union  and  its 
Member  States  to  a  Europe-wide  approach,  and  on  that  basis  initiate  a  process  at  the 
international level both in the UN and bilaterally. It is therefore important to promote to external 
partners the concept of a multilateral approach with regional contributions.  

6.3  Privileged discussion with the US  

The US is the most advanced actor upon STM, having invested billions of USD in the last 20 
years in SST capabilities. As a result, it has the most performant SST capability in the world, 
sharing  its  data  worldwide.  Through  Space  Policy  Directive  3,  it  has  started  to  develop  a 
dedicated approach in the STM field. 

While the EU first needs to develop its own STM approach, it must do so in close cooperation 
with the US. At the EU-US Summit in June 2021, both sides agreed to exchange on respective 
approaches to STM. In this respect and against the background of the increasing US activities 
on STM, the Commission and the High Representative will explore ways of ensuring closer 
cooperation and mutual interoperability and complementarity on STM with the US. 

6.4  Dialogues with other third countries 

The  EU  will  pursue  an  active  diplomacy  related  to  STM.  Discussions  with  international 
partners should focus on civil matters (e.g. operations, standardisations, etc.) but also highlight 
related security and defence aspects of STM. In particular, this should involve the promotion 
of the EU STM approach on relevant perspectives such as operational safety and long-term 
sustainability of the orbital environment, including by encouraging interest in EU services 
available to a wider global community (e.g. EU SST). 

Action  8: The Commission  and the High Representative,  depending on the EU competence 
involved, in collaboration with the Member States will engage with the UN to identify or help 
create specific bodies for STM with a view to implementing concrete STM solutions at global 
level. 

Action 9: By mid-2022, the Commission will explore possible ways by which the EU could 
participate in the UN Rescue Agreement, in the Liability Convention and in the Registration 
Convention while safeguarding the interests of the Union. To this end, the Commission will 
analyse and work on possible measures needed in order to implement the obligations enshrined 
in these Conventions.  

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Action 10: The Commission and the High Representative, depending on the EU competence 
involved, in close cooperation with the Member States will: 

- promote a regional approach on STM with third countries and relevant regional fora partners 
in  order  to  prepare  the  future  establishment  of  a  global  STM  system  based  on  regional 
contributions,  

-  further  engage  with  the  US  with  a  view  to  ensuring  closer  cooperation  and  mutual 
interoperability on STM related matters,  

- systematically address STM in the space dialogues with third countries. 

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7  CONCLUSION 

As an EU contribution to a global public policy challenge, this Joint Communication aims at 
initiating an articulated coherent and coordinated EU STM approach for the EU and its Member 
States, and at promoting an EU position on STM in international and multilateral fora.  

The  EU  must  act  now  –  swiftly,  collectively  and  resolutely  to  ensure  a  safe,  secure  and 
sustainable  use  of  space.  The  Joint  Communication  proposes  a  dynamic  and  evolving  EU 
approach with several concrete actions on STM, with a view to preserving EU and Member 
States’ interests in full compliance with the competences of the EU and its Member States. 

These  actions  comprise  assessing  the  STM  civil  and  defence  requirements  for  the  EU, 
enhancing EU operational capabilities to support STM in terms of services and technologies, 
fostering STM regulatory  aspects  culminating in relevant  legislation, and promoting  the EU 
STM approach globally.  

These efforts will enhance the resilience of EU and Member States’ space infrastructure our 
societies  and  economies  depend  on,  provide  greater  certainty  for  operators,  support  the 
competitiveness  of  European  industry,  and,  together  with  our  partners,  make  a  concrete 
contribution to the global endeavour of sustaining space services and applications in the coming 
decades.  

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