European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver a major speech on space policy at the International Space Summit in Paris on September 10. The address will coincide with the unveiling of the European Space Shield, an initiative to protect the bloc's satellites amid rising security concerns.
The European Space Shield initiative signals a significant step in the EU's efforts to bolster its security and resilience in space, directly addressing growing geopolitical threats and technological vulnerabilities impacting critical infrastructure.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to deliver a significant speech dedicated solely to space policy at the International Space Summit in Paris on September 10. This address, not previously reported, comes as the Commission prepares to launch the European Space Shield, an initiative designed to safeguard the bloc's satellites and space assets amidst growing security concerns.
The summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Grand Palais, will convene leaders from over 120 countries, space agencies, industry executives, scientists, and military officials. The heightened focus on space security is attributed to increasing Russian hybrid actions that target Europe's reliance on satellites for critical functions, including military communications and civilian navigation. Recent incidents of GPS jamming and spoofing, particularly around the Baltic Sea, have disrupted thousands of flights and even affected the private jet of von der Leyen herself.
The speech also aligns with von der Leyen's broader efforts to bolster the Commission's defense and security capabilities. This includes the anticipated appointment of Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss, currently a managing director at the European External Action Service (EEAS), to a new unit within the Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). This move occurs at a sensitive time, potentially increasing tensions over the division of responsibilities between the Commission and the EEAS, led by former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.