Busquin: EU should be ‘true space power’

Date: 19/09/02

By Jane Davis

EU RESEARCH Commissioner Philippe Busquin is calling for a revision of the EU Treaty to specifically refer to a Union space policy that addresses security and defence.

This would ensure a coherent approach and enable the EU to become 'a true space power', he told European Voice.

Commission officials are usually reluctant to admit that EU space policy has the potential to affect defence issues. Busquin concedes that under existing policy 'there is not, and there will be, no EU funding for research into applications with a military purpose'.

However, he believes this should change.

'If we compare ourselves with the US, Europe is paying a cost for making such a stringent separation between military and civilian research,' he says.

Europe paid the price for its lack of involvement in space during recent international conflicts, he maintains.

'It is not acceptable for Europe to depend on non-European countries for accessing space, its infrastructures such as satellites and key information.

During the Kosovo War our access to satellite data was severely reduced. During the war in Afghanistan we were denied access to satellite mapping of that region, so that our humanitarian aid teams on the ground lacked up-to-date maps.'

He also implied that EU- funded research is in any case already benefiting the military as 'space technology, like many other technologies, has, by definition, a dual use as both civilian and military operators can use satellite infrastructures'.

Defence issues have long been jealously guarded as a matter for national sovereignty by EU countries, but a Commission official acknowledged that 'member states are starting to think about it [an EU space policy].

Initial discussions have been encouraging,' he said, and although defence was not part of the current agenda 'civil security is, which means civil protection and the prevention of conflict'.

The official claimed that national governments would be willing to hand over some control to the Commission over space policy to ensure political endorsement and common standards across the EU.

The Commission has run into problems with the member states on the issue previously, when the Council of Ministers failed to endorse the Commission's proposals for investment in the Galileo project, Europe's first navigation satellite system.

The proposals were later passed by EU transport ministers following pressure from commissioners, heads of state and government.

The Parliament has indicated its support for an EU space policy and has requested a green paper, currently being prepared by the Commission.

It is due to be published on 3 October, paving the way for an official proposal at a later date.

In the past couple of years, the Commission has shown an increasing interest in space.

It is currently negotiating agreements with both Russia and the Euopean Space Agency (ESA). In such a relationship, the Commission would be the client while ESA would act as a service provider, said a DG Research official.

Over the next four years €1,075 billion will be allocated to aeronautics and space research.

A space unit at DG Research was created by the EU executive created in 2001. This initiative is an attempt to 'put some meat on the space policy bone', said Busquin.

Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin is calling for a revision of the EU Treaty to specifically refer to a European Union space policy that addresses security and defence.