The European Commission is collecting feedback until 7 November 2025 on a proposed regulation for the safe, secure and sustainable use of outer space. The stakeholder groups identified by the Commission include satellite operators, satellite navigation service providers, satellite manufacturers, launch service providers, and astronomers.

In the absence of an international legal framework governing the safe, secure and sustainable use of space, several EU Member States have adopted national legislation in this field over recent years.

From the Commission’s perspective, the differences in scope, depth and enforcement of these national laws may undermine fair competition and weaken the competitiveness of EU space operators when planning, designing and conducting space activities within the EU, as well as when competing with operators from third countries.

The Commission has therefore deemed EU-level action necessary to address the consequences of divergent national approaches. The establishment of minimum common rules across three key areas is expected to prevent the fragmentation of the EU single market for space services and products and to ensure a level playing field for both EU and non-EU operators.

Moreover, the scale of the single market provides the critical mass needed for the EU to promote the sustainability of space products and to influence the design and operation of spacecraft worldwide.

According to the Commission, the overall objective of the proposed initiative is to ensure the safe, secure and sustainable use of space and to enhance the protection and resilience of all space systems, services and operations within the EU.

The specific objectives set out are as follows:

• To limit the risk of collisions and interference between space objects and their surroundings;

• To increase the collective level of resilience of national and EU space systems and services;

• To promote climate-neutral space activities and ensure fair and equitable use of outer space;

• To establish consistent requirements on space safety, resilience, security and sustainability across the EU and to safeguard the competitiveness of EU industry and research.

In this regard, the Commission believes that such a framework would ensure the continuity, availability and integrity of critical services that underpin the economy — such as navigation, air transport, telecommunications, payment processing and banking. While there may be a potential increase in operational and design costs due to additional compliance requirements, a common, stable and predictable framework would foster long-term expansion and sustainability for new commercial players in the space sector and attract private investment.

One of the Commission’s aims is also to guarantee the long-term use of space, helping to protect jobs both within the space sector and in other industries that rely on space-based data.

This marks the first time the Commission has presented an initiative of this kind in this field.