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DRAFT REPORT (COM(2026)0152 – C100094/2026 – 2026/0084(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Union Space Services Agency and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/696

ITRE-PR-792131

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy · Rapporteur: Christophe Grudler

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This is the rapporteur's draft report on the proposed regulation on the European Union Space Services Agency, amending Regulation (EU) 2021/696. It proposes amendments to rename the Agency back to the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and to set out its objectives, tasks, governance and security accreditation rules. The amendments give the Agency tasks including operational security for Positioning, Navigation and Timing and Earth Observation, management of the EOGS infrastructure and pooling mechanism, GOVSATCOM services, IRIS2 governmental infrastructure, the SST Front Desk and space weather services. They also give the Agency a stronger role in promoting use of Union space data and services, demand aggregation and joint procurement of receivers and launch services, and support to the EU Space ISAC on cybersecurity. On governance, the amendments give Parliament two voting members on the Administrative Board, make the Executive Director accountable to that Board and subject to Parliament's confirmation, and require the Board to meet at least quarterly. On security accreditation, the amendments separate programme implementation from independent assessment: Agency support to the Security Accreditation Board is limited to administrative and secretarial services, while technical work is done by a panel of experts designated by Member States. A new Article 17a sets out a continuous accreditation process with a three-month deadline for reasoned decisions, and a new Article 23a requires the Administrative Board to declare a governmental service operational only after accreditation and confirmation of resources.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes to amend the Commission proposal to strengthen the Agency's operational role and political accountability, and to separate programme implementation from independent security accreditation by limiting Agency support to administrative and secretarial functions and giving technical assessment to Member State-designated experts.

Key points

  1. The Agency keeps the name European Union Agency for the Space Programme, reflecting a mandate covering infrastructure operations, security accreditation and implementation of Union space policy.
  2. The Agency's objectives include ensuring effective implementation of Union space policy, a high degree of safety, security and resilience, and maximising public, strategic and economic benefits of Union space systems and services.
  3. The Agency is to ensure secure and continuous operation of Union space components, pooling of space and ground capacities, consistent application of Union requirements, market uptake of space data and services, and strengthened strategic autonomy and supply-chain security.
  4. The Agency is responsible for the operational security of the PNT and EO components, including EOGS, and for security accreditation of all Union space components and subcomponents through the Security Accreditation Board.
  5. The Agency manages the exploitation of EOGS infrastructure, the EOGS pooling and sharing mechanism, the EU SST Front Desk, GOVSATCOM services and the operational management and security of all IRIS2 governmental infrastructure.
  6. The Agency supports Copernicus data access through secure and certified data-sharing mechanisms and a unique front desk, and provides space weather services and SST services including relevant service catalogues.
  7. The Agency promotes integration of Union space data and services across Union policies and strategic sectors, including access for civil protection authorities, and may aggregate demand and jointly procure interoperable receivers, terminals and software.
  8. The Agency may aggregate and jointly procure launch services for the Union and, on request, for Member States, international organisations and other public entities.
  9. The Agency supports space operators on cybersecurity, including by providing the secretariat of and supporting the EU Space ISAC and other Union-level secure information-sharing mechanisms.
  10. The Administrative Board includes one representative per Member State, three Commission representatives and two members designated by Parliament, all with voting rights, and meets at least once every quarter.
  11. The Executive Director is accountable to the Administrative Board and is appointed only after confirmation by Parliament, following a statement before the competent committee.
  12. Agency support to the Security Accreditation Board is limited to administrative and secretarial services; independent technical assessments are performed by a panel of experts designated by Member States, and neither the Commission nor the High Representative votes on accreditation decisions.

Who is affected

  • The European Union Agency for the Space Programme: gains new tasks, objectives and governance rules, and must retain in-house operational, technical and security expertise.
  • Member States: must designate qualified, security-cleared experts for accreditation and ensure sufficient expertise is available by 1 January 2028.
  • The Security Accreditation Board: keeps sole responsibility for accreditation decisions, with its independence reinforced and its meetings at least quarterly.
  • Contractual operators: must have competency frameworks, succession planning and operational capability for service continuity during crises or extended disruptions.
  • The European Union Satellite Centre: works with the Agency under working arrangements defining responsibilities and operational interfaces.

Figures and deadlines

  • The Administrative Board must meet at least once every quarter.
  • The Security Accreditation Board must meet at least every quarter and the Chairperson must convene an additional meeting within one month of a request.
  • The Security Accreditation Board must deliver an opinion within 15 working days where the Commission requests one alongside a proposal for temporary Council authorisation.
  • The Council must decide on a Commission proposal for temporary authorisation within 30 working days.
  • A temporary Council authorisation for service provision must not exceed 12 months and may be renewed once.
  • A coordinated corrective plan for systemic or recurring security deficiencies must be established within three months.
  • The Administrative Board must adopt arrangements to implement Article 19 before 1 January 2028.
  • The regulation applies from 1 January 2028, while Article 42(4a) applies from the date of entry into force.

Legal basis: Article 294(2) and Article 189(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.