© Provided by Agencia EFE
Brussels, Jan 25 (EFE).- The European Commission (EC) wants to consolidate and increase the capabilities of the European Union (EU) in the aerospace sector so that the community bloc competes without ingenuousness in outer space, a strategic area that encompasses the defence, security and autonomy.
“Space is a strategic place where the great powers are competing, and we cannot be naive. Europe has to defend its interests and freedoms to operate in space”, declared the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, with competences in matters space and military industry.
The Frenchman expressed this in a speech delivered at the beginning of the 14th edition of the European Space Conference, held in Brussels in a hybrid format, where the community official pointed out that one of the priorities for 2022 will be “completely and fully integrating defense and strategy in the approach and spatial policies” of the Community Executive.
Breton outlined a series of priorities that the EU should focus on in a sector such as aerospace, which is going through “a massive transformation” with the penetration of the market by private operators, large and small.
The first European objective for the coming year that Breton cited is to “consolidate existing assets and update them”, such as the Copernicus Earth observation program or rockets, opening the palette to the arrival of new micro-launchers, as well as reinforcing the of satellite navigation of the European Union.
“Galileo is the best navigation system in the world but our competitors are moving fast,” said the commissioner, who indicated that the EC and the European Space Agency (ESA) are working to equip it with a new generation of satellites that will begin to be added to the constellation from 2024.
As a second line of action, Breton referred to the need to improve telecommunications and computer infrastructure related to space.
He pointed out that he will prepare a legislative proposal to strengthen high-speed internet connections “for all Europeans and without dead zones through space, with the aim also of Europe being “connected no matter what” on terrestrial networks.
Within that same section, he advocated betting on quantum technology in connection with the aerospace sector to develop “the cybersecurity of tomorrow” and also to offer infrastructure for Africa, within the EU’s global strategy to strengthen its ties with the continent. .
Thirdly, the commissioner highlighted the importance of continuing to work to manage the growing amount of space debris, which can put orbiting infrastructure at risk, and lastly, he opted to develop an aerospace innovation strategy that would agree on long-term plans and coordinated investment.
(c) EFE Agency