Key outcomes of the 347th ESA Council meeting

The ESA Council concluded its 347th meeting with decisions that strengthen the Agency's governance, advance key programme activities and reinforce international cooperation.

Held at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France, from 16 to 17 June 2026, the Council was chaired for the final time by ESA Council Chair at delegate level Renato Krpoun. During his mandate, Renato Krpoun guided the Council through a period of significant transformation for Europe in space, marked by important strategic choices for the Agency and its Member States. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and Member States expressed their appreciation for his leadership and looked forward to working the incoming Council Chair, Juan Carlos Cortés, and his team, whose mandate will begin on 1 July 2026.

New directors

ESA Member States appointed Christine Klein as Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement, effective 1 July 2026.

They also appointed Jean-Luc Trullemans as Director of Strategy, Legal and External Affairs, effective 1 January 2027.

These senior appointments will support the implementation of ESA's strategy and the delivery of decisions taken by Member States in the years ahead.

Interim Council meeting at Ministerial level

Member States agreed that the Interim Council meeting at Ministerial level will be held in December 2026 in Italy.

The Interim Ministerial will provide an important opportunity for Member States to define the European exploration roadmap for the coming years.

EPIC mission concept advances

Following the endorsement of the EPIC (ESA Provided Institutional Crew) mission concept at the Council meeting in March, Member States agreed that ESA may enter into negotiations with potential partners and providers.

EPIC is envisaged as a professional astronaut mission aiming at one month, providing flight opportunities for ESA astronauts and astronauts from international partners.

Greek National Satellite Programme extended

The Project Arrangement for ESA support to Greece's national satellite programme was extended until 2031 with an additional 361 million € to support the continuation and expansion of activities. This latest project amendment will support further national Earth observation, telecommunication and space situational awareness activities.

ESA-FAO cooperation extended

The Council approved the extension of cooperation between ESA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the use of Earth observation data for food and agriculture.

The cooperation has been extended for a further five years, until 2031, supporting continued work on the use of satellite data to benefit food systems, agriculture and related decision-making.

ESA-ISRO cooperation broadened

The Council approved the extension and amendment of the Cooperative Agreement between ESA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) until January 2032.

The revised agreement broadens the scope of cooperation to include human and robotic exploration, space weather and the sustainability of outer space activities, while continuing to support collaboration in areas such as space science, Earth observation and operations.

This builds on the Joint Statement of Intent signed in 2025 on cooperation for human space exploration and reaffirms the strong partnership between ESA and ISRO.

Status report on space safety

The Council took note of - and approved for public release - the status report on Space Safety, underscoring the agency's commitment to transparency and accountability.

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About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe's gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with three Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.

Learn more about ESA at https://www.esa.int.