Commissioner Andrius Kubilius delivered the opening address at the 18th European Space Conference, held in Brussels on 27 January, bringing together European institutions, Member States, industry, and stakeholders. Speaking one year into his mandate, the Commissioner reviewed recent achievements in European space policy and set out priorities for strengthening Europe’s security, defence readiness, and strategic autonomy through space.
Firstly, Kubilius underlined that Europe is operating in a profoundly changed geopolitical environment. While significant progress has been achieved over the past year, the Commissioner stressed that Europe must accelerate implementation and act in a coordinated manner to avoid fragmentation.
Secure Satellite Connectivity
Next, the Commissioner announced the start of GOVSATCOM operations, enabling all EU Member States to access secure, encrypted satellite communications for governmental and military use. These services are built, operated, and controlled in Europe.
This marks the first phase of Europe’s sovereign satellite connectivity strategy. Further steps include:
- Expansion of global coverage and bandwidth by 2027 through secure commercial partnerships.
- Continued development of IRIS², with military Ka frequencies already brought into use.
- Deployment of initial IRIS² services targeted for 2029, earlier than previously planned.
Galileo and Secure Navigation
Galileo has reached full operational capability, ten years after the start of initial services. The system is expanding its role in security and defence through:
- The deployment of OSNMA, enhancing protection against signal spoofing.
- The forthcoming initial services of the Public Regulated Service (PRS), providing encrypted and secure navigation for authorised users.
- The constellation is being actively maintained and renewed, with additional satellites launched and next-generation systems under development.
Copernicus and Earth Observation
Copernicus continues to strengthen Europe’s situational awareness, including in sensitive regions such as the Arctic and Greenland. Key developments include the deployment of:
- Sentinel-1D for land and sea monitoring,
- Sentinels 4A and 5A for air quality monitoring,
- Sentinel-6B for precise sea level measurements.
These capabilities are increasingly relevant for security, defence, and climate-related monitoring.
Access to Space
Europe’s independent access to space has been restored and reinforced through successful launches of Vega-C and Ariane 6. Launch cadence is increasing, and further progress is expected.
The Commissioner highlighted space transportation as a strategic priority, including:
- increased lift capacity,
- reusability,
- rapid launch and replacement capability,
- long-term ambitions for advanced space missions.
European Space Defence Shield
Under the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030, the Commission is preparing a plan for a European Space Defence Shield, to be presented later this year. The initiative aims to pool and share national and EU space capabilities alongside dedicated European systems.
Key elements include:
- Integration of GOVSATCOM, Galileo PRS, and IRIS²,
- Development of a governmental Earth observation service,
- Introduction of LEO-PNT for resilient positioning, navigation, and timing,
- Strengthening European Space Surveillance and Tracking (EU SST).
The Commissioner cautioned against uncoordinated national approaches, warning that fragmentation would weaken Europe’s collective defence. Interoperability by design was identified as essential.
Industrial Base, Funding, and Strategic Autonomy
A strong and competitive European space industry remains central to independence and resilience. The Commissioner emphasised the importance of secure supply chains, skilled workforce development, and reduced dependence on non-European technologies and materials.
The Commission has proposed a significant increase in funding under the next Multiannual Financial Framework, with €131 billion for defence and space. This ambition is reinforced by ESA Member States’ approval of a record €22.3 billion at the recent ESA Ministerial Council.
Finally, the Commissioner concluded by stressing that space is one of Europe’s most successful collective endeavours. Programmes such as Galileo, Copernicus, and IRIS² demonstrate the added value of European cooperation and deliver benefits that no single Member State could achieve alone. Europe’s security, economic resilience, and strategic autonomy will increasingly depend on continued unity and decisive action in space.
