Space

2. Space contributions to policy challenges Put Space in Europes policy toolbox

If Europe devotes more resources to space and organises its efforts in the right way, it can truly improve the quality of life of its citizens and contribute to economic growth and job creation in the process. Worldwide, the space applications-related market is estimated at ¬350 billion by 2010.[1]

However, the actual and potential benefits of space technologies cannot be fully secured under present institutional and budgetary arrangements. These are mainly focused on Research and Development and are not appropriate for an optimal exploitation of space assets.

Failure to derive such benefits would have significant consequences for Europes economy and its role in the world. As a horizontal policy, space is especially relevant for supporting Europes economic prospects, agriculture policy goals, levels of employment, its management of the environment and its foreign and security policies.

Space technologies lend themselves well to address questions which are of large-scale and global nature. Space is not the answer to every problem, but it should occupy an important place in Europes policy toolbox. In the transport and agricultural sectors a number of policy challenges are already being addressed with the help of space technologies.

Some other policy challenges, which have become the Unions objectives following their endorsement by European Councils, are listed below. The Space policy will offer valuable contributions to many of them, at an affordable cost and with greater efficiency.

Policy challenges: Invest inthe knowledge economy to strengthen economic growth job creation and competitiveness (the Lisbon strategy) and make a success of enlargement by supporting cohesion and economic, industrial and technological growth throughout all Member States

Space tools: Satellite telecommunications are part of a technology portfolio that may deliver broadband access to the 20% of the EUs population where it cannot be made available in the medium term. It can contribute to closing the digital divide with the new Member States and beyond in complement of terrestrial solutions.

• Policy Challenge: Achieve sustainable development goals

The European Council in Gothenburg adopted in June 2001 a strategy for sustainable development. The Council noted that its objectives had the potential to unleash a new wave of technological innovation and investment, generating growth and employment. The Council has asked for the establishment in 2008 of a European capacity for global monitoring for environment and security.

Space tools: Earth observation from space supports sound environmental management and protection by providing basic homogeneous observations with unsurpassed coverage on climate and weather, oceans, fisheries, land and vegetation. Space has enabled a weather prediction over 5 days. A sustainable agricultural model could, as well, benefit from the use of Earth observation tools. Likewise, the control of the applications of the Kyoto protocol will require European independent space capabilities.

• Policy Challenge: The Union is to assume a larger role in the world through a stronger Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) supported by a European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)

In the coming years, the Union will have to achieve the Helsinki goals, encompassing capabilities such as the contact with rapid deployment forces and global intelligence.

Space tools: To be credible and effective, any CFSP and ESDP must be based on autonomous access to reliable global information so as to foster informed decision-making.

Space technologies and infrastructures ensure access to knowledge, information and military capabilities on the ground that can only be available through the capacity to launch, develop and operate satellites providing global communications, positioning and observation systems. At the same time, space-based systems can provide a higher level of security for citizens, allowing, for example, a better enforcement of border and coastal control and identifying humanitarian crises in their early stages.

• Policy Challenge: Strengthen industrial performance by stepping up R&D and technological innovation, while defining Trans-European Transport Network (TEN- T) priorities

The European Council has set the objective of raising total R&D spending in the Union from 1.8% to 3% of gross domestic product by 2010. Moving ahead with TEN-T is set to rekindle economic growth. Realising the TEN-T priorities is projecting gains for the Unions economy and society, estimated in the long term at 0.23% growth in GDP.

Space tools:

Space R&D and TEN-T development are also part of a larger value chain which stimulates R&D in other sectors and leads to commercial applications, such as GALILEO, with potentially very large revenues and job creation possibilities. Each euro invested into the space applications generates a turnover of ¬7-8 due to the development of added-value services.[2]

• Policy Challenge: Fight poverty and aid development

Space tools: The Union is the largest provider of development aid in the world. Space technologies can strengthen its development efforts, and help other countries to develop access to information, raise skills levels and better manage their resources.

In addition to supporting the creation of commercial communication infrastructures, space technologies such as Earth observation and global positioning systems can be employed in a variety of tasks including: protecting soils and managing water resources; monitoring crop development and forecasting food production; providing early warning for flood and fire risk; monitoring the tropical forest; preventing ground-motion hazards; ensuring coastal and maritime monitoring; forecasting, preventing and managing natural disasters.

[1] Euroconsult 2002

[2] Euroconsult 2002