Eurospace Position Paper “Space, the foundation for Europe to understand and act in the world – How the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework can make it happen”

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As EU decision-makers begin shaping the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034, The European space industry is sending an urgent message: a ring-fenced and predictable EU budget for space is critical to safeguard the continuity of Europe’s flagship space programmes and ensure the continent’s strategic autonomy.

In its new Position Paper, available HERE, the European space industry warns that without guaranteed long-term funding, cornerstone programmes like Galileo, Copernicus, IRIS², and Space Surveillance & Tracking face serious risks of future disruption.

These systems are essential to European navigation, climate monitoring, secure communications, and space safety. The industry’s demand is simple: secure the future of European space with a protected, long-term budget line – one that shields operations, upgrades, and services from volatility and fragmentation.

The European space industry is backing a proposed envelope of 40 to 60B€ for the EU Space Programme under the 2028–2034 MFF – a substantial increase from the current 19B€, but still well below spending levels of other space powers, and justified by the increased ambitions of the Commission itself, and the need to accommodate quickly strong security requirements.

The proposed EU budget would ensure:

  • Continuity of Galileo, Copernicus, IRIS² and SSA and their evolution in a security and defence framework;
  • Modernisation of ground infrastructure and satellite constellations;
  • New capabilities, such as Space Traffic Management, In-Orbit Operations, and LEO-based navigation;
  • Concrete support to improve the market conditions for launch services;
  • Innovation pilots to test new technologies and services that could lead to next-generation missions;
  • A competitive European commercial space sector through an updated Partnership between the actors of the supply chain, research organisations and the European Commission.