Debate: Strategic Compass and EU space-based defence capabilities
Date: TUESDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 2023
Speaker: Didier Reynders
Language: FR

Today’s debate is a timely opportunity to discuss the change of paradigm brought by our new strategy when it comes to space security and defence. Space has become increasingly contested. The geopolitical competition we see on Earth is now increasingly projected in space, and we cannot afford to remain idle. Space is a strategic domain. The Russian aggression against Ukraine was a wake-up call for all of us: not just for Ukraine, not just for European and indeed international security, but also specifically in terms of space and the threats we face. There is an urgent need for a common European action. We observe very concretely how space assets and services are crucial in support of policymakers as well as military actors. Of the around 5 500 satellites in orbit today, 450 are owned or operated by the world’s military. Many more are dual, or are civilian, commercial and support security and defence. Space services are essential for understanding an evolving crisis or conflict on the ground. Satellite imagery and communications, for instance, can be game-changers for the Ukrainian armed forces and for the entire population, providing access to information and situational awareness to help resist the attack, and by keeping Ukrainians connected to their country and the outside world. Demand for analysis by the EU satellite, SatCen, our key geospatial intelligence provider, is growing. Last year, SatCen provided us with over 4 500 geospatial intelligence products, a tenfold increase over the last decade. We must capitalise this success and further develop space services to support to EU decision-making in the area of security and defence. In this context, we will reinforce SatCen and consider a new Earth observation governmental service. We also witnessed how the ability to deny the use of space to an adversary, whether temporarily or permanently, can be part of warfare. The night before the invasion started, a simple unsophisticated malicious code managed to bring down entire parts of the large space communications network. It also revealed our own vulnerabilities linked to space services and raised some key strategic questions. How many critical infrastructures in the European Union depend on space services? How well are these services protected against the many forms of attacks against satellites or ground stations they connect to? Just like in other sectors, we have also become more aware of dependencies – you have said that, Mr Rapporteur – on foreign suppliers, such as when the Russian Soyuz teams suddenly left the space port and jeopardise European launch capabilities and capacities. Finally, prior to the invasion in November 2021, the Russian Federation tested a kinetic anti-satellite weapon. This irresponsible act not only generated dangerous debris, but also sent a worrying signal to all spacefaring nations: the Russian Federation is prepared to hold satellites at risk. This is why the EU will reinforce its space threat response architecture to better understand and better detect the various space threats, and to use the various tools at our disposal in a more efficient way. To this end, the Commission will propose a new EU space law to provide a stable and predictable legal framework for the safety, resilience and sustainability of space activities. Our strategy is not only setting a high level of ambition for the European Union, it is also a diplomatic tool, a transparency and confidence-building measure. The EU promotes responsible behaviour in space at a multilateral level. In addition, we will continue to engage with all the Member States as well as third countries, because space is by essence a global matter. Allow me to thank you again for the opportunity to discuss your report, which captures the essence of the new strategy.  – Monsieur le Rapporteur, comme vous, je vais évidemment être attentif au débat qui va maintenant être tenu dans cette assemblée.