RECENT STEPS FORWARD A COMMON EUROPEAN APPROACH OF COOPERATION IN SPACE PROJECTS

摘要

The implementation of the two main European space projects, Galileo and GMES, clearly showed that current existing policies of the two organisations involved (European Union and European Space Agency) are not compatible. Nevertheless, due to the political desire to advance these projects rapidly and to bring them to success, obstacles have to be overcome.This purpose is once again underlined in the recent adopted Space Council Resolution "Taking forward the European Space Policy" by the 5th Space Council (joint and concomitant meeting of the Council of ESA and Council of EU) in Brussels on 26 September 2008. This resolution can be regarded as a further step forward a joint European cooperation in space projects, already based on the Framework Agreement between the European Community and the European Agency (which entered into force on May 2004) and recalled by the Resolution of the Space Council on 22 May 2007. The latter welcomes and supports the European Space Policy and establishes the policy base for space in Europe. Even significant progresses are made during the last years, improvements still have do be done in setting-up of an international relation strategy for space in Europe. In this context the importance for Europe to maintain an autonomous access to space, a world-class scientific programme and leading satellite applications are reaffirmed. The importance of a strengthen EU-ESA coordination of space technology development programmes, in particular on critical space technologies for European strategic non-dependence are as well underlined.The Resolution "Taking forward the European Space Policy" recognises that the EU, ESA and their respective Member States are the key actors of the European Space Policy and highlights that the European Union is taking increased responsibilities for space matters (especially related to space applications). Furthermore, due to the fact that the majority of UN emergency appeals for humanitarian aid were climate related, it identifies four priority areas in the implementation of the European Space Policy for the coming period: space and climate change, contribution of space to the Lisbon strategy, space and security and space exploration.