Regions and cities demand mandatory role and simpler rules for SMEs in EU space policy

In an opinion on the EU Space Act, adopted during the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 11 December, local and regional leaders called for mandatory involvement of regions and cities in EU space governance, a protected civil space budget and simplified rules for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Space has become a strategic domain for Europe's security, sustainability and competitiveness and regions and cities are increasingly recognised as key actors in turning EU space ambition into concrete territorial results. Regions and cities host Europe's critical space infrastructures, innovation clusters, testing facilities and downstream application ecosystems. They translate EU investments into real services for citizens and businesses and operate at the heart of place-based innovation. In this regard, CoR members highlighted in the opinion that the European Space Package will fall short of its objectives unless local and regional authorities are structurally and permanently involved in its governance and implementation. Excluding them will weaken Europe's innovation potential and risk widening territorial disparities, the CoR warns.

To ensure effective territorial uptake, the CoR calls for reinforced EU support instruments, including an expanded Copernicus4Regions initiative, stronger technical assistance, structured peer learning, advanced skills programmes and tailored funding instrument. These measures are intended to enable local and regional authorities to fully deploy satellite-based solutions for crisis management, environmental monitoring, mobility planning and the energy transition.

Local and regional leaders also raised concerns on regulatory pressure, warning that SMEs and start-ups risk facing disproportionate compliance burdens under the new regulatory framework. The CoR therefore called for phased, realistic and innovation-friendly pathways, including regulatory sandboxes, simplified authorisation procedures for low-risk missions and shared certification and testing tools, so that Europe's industrial base is strengthened rather than constrained.

In the opinion, they further stressed that that EU space policy and its civil mission need to be preserved and strengthened. Local and regional authorities rely daily on satellite data to anticipate extreme weather, manage disasters, protect citizens, modernise public services and support resilient local economies. CoR members therefore demanded continuous, secure and guaranteed access to high-quality space services, describing them as a public good.

On financing, CoR members warned that the success of the Space Act depends on the establishment of a predictable, ring-fenced budget within the EU's 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework. Strong synergies must be ensured with Cohesion Policy, the Green Deal and place-based innovation strategies.

Quote

Rapporteur Nadia Pellefigue (FR/PES), Vice-President of the Region of Occitanie: "Europe's space future is being built from its territories. With the European Space Act, the European Union will adopt its first-ever legislative framework for space. As rapporteur for the European Committee of the Regions, I wish to stress that Europe's space strategy can only succeed by relying on all actors - national, industrial, local and regional - who turn Europe's space ambition into concrete results for our citizens and our businesses. From Occitanie to Piedmont, from Kourou to Bavaria, Europe already brings together world-class space technologies and expertise. It is now our responsibility to give them the political strength they deserve to build sustainable European space sovereignty and to shape the future of our continent."

Background

• Video and photos from the debate

• On 25 June, the European Commission presented the EU Space Act that introduces a harmonised framework for space activities across the Union and aims to ensure safety, resilience, and environmental sustainability, while boosting the competitiveness of the EU space sector.

Contact

Theresa Sostmann Tel: +32475999415 [email protected]