European Commissioner underscores space’s vital role in enhancing security at Brussels conference

At a significant conference in Brussels, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius highlighted the essential role of space in enhancing security amid evolving global challenges. The event, titled “Space for European Resilience: Rising to the Collective Challenge,” emphasized the importance of secure intelligence, positioning, and communication as critical components of safety in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.

Organized by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) under the Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union, the conference saw ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher unveil the new European Resilience from Space program. This optional initiative, inviting subscriptions from member states at the upcoming ESA Ministerial Council, is designed to fuse capabilities in remote sensing, connectivity, and the Internet of Things, thereby equipping users with enhanced responsiveness and security.

Aschbacher articulated a pressing need for greater coherence among European space initiatives, warning of the fragmentation that hinders the continent’s ability to leverage space effectively for defense purposes. “We must align our space for defense competencies, avoid duplication, and pool resources to achieve scale,” he urged, underscoring the necessity for a unified approach to ensure robust, autonomous space resilience for Europe.

The proposed European Resilience from Space program is anticipated to become a cornerstone of the European Union’s future Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS), aimed at providing high-quality, dual-use space-based observation capabilities. The program is set to deliver rapid and reliable data and services, essential for addressing contemporary security challenges.

Notable speakers at the conference included former Danish Prime Minister and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Major General Pierre Ciparisse, head of Belgium’s cyber command, and Mario Kadastik, chairman of the European Interparliamentary Space Conference. Discussions revolved around the future of space in reinforcing security infrastructures across Europe.

The importance of these developments will continue to grow as the EU prepares to define funding allocations in the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework and at ESA’s Ministerial Council in November. This event is built on the momentum generated by the recent ESA Security Conference held in Warsaw, reflecting an ongoing commitment by European leaders to strengthen space’s contribution to security.