EU Statement at COPUOS69 on Space2030 Agenda, 16 June 2026

EU Statement at COPUOS69 on Space2030 Agenda, 16 June 2026

Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The following countries align themselves with this statement: Albania, Armenia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Chair,

The EU and its Member States support the Space2030 Agenda and its contribution to the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We particularly welcome its emphasis on inclusiveness and gender equality in space activities, and on addressing climate change, recognising that space is an essential enabler of sustainable development. The EU remains committed to strengthening partnerships with all States, in particular developing countries, to maximize the societal, environmental, and economic benefits of space applications.

The EU and several EU Member States contributed to the Space2030 Agenda's mid-term review by reporting on their key activities, including efforts under the EU Space Programme, and capacity building activities under the EU's Global Gateway Strategy.

The EU continues to advance its Space Programme, including the expansion of GALILEO, EGNOS, SSA and COPERNICUS benefiting millions of users in the EU and in third countries. COPERNICUS, the Earth Observation component, plays a crucial role in strengthening resilience, reducing vulnerabilities to natural disasters and supporting climate adaptation, food security and environmental protection, notably in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Regional COPERNICUS centres are based in Chile and Panama, alongside a national COPERNICUS data centre in the Philippines.

Within the framework of the EU-Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Digital Alliance, the EU and its Member States have contributed 214 million euros to support regional cooperation, including in earth observation, climate resilience, and space services. In Asia, within the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE) Digital initiative for 2025-2028, the EU is strengthening cooperation on earth observation based environmental services through improved use of COPERNICUS and building regional capacities in ASEAN countries.

Under the Global Gateway Strategy, the Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme, launched in 2025, supports Africa's space ambitions, as set out in the Africa Space Policy. A total of 100 million euros will be invested, with 45 million already committed, to enhance EU-Africa collaboration on space technologies, services, and applications. By increasing the uptake of space-based data and fostering institutional and private sector capacity, the programme will empower African countries to tackle pressing societal challenges.

This cooperation was further reinforced by the 2nd EU-African Union (AU) Space Dialogue in March 2026, confirming a shared commitment to deepen cooperation on Earth observation, satellite navigation, space surveillance and tracking, space science, and capacity-building, including stronger engagement with youth and the private sector. The growing dynamism of Africa's space sector was also highlighted at the 5th Conference NewSpaceAfrica, in April in Gabon, which explored how Africa-Europe cooperation can unlock the full potential of the space sector across the continent.

The EU attaches great importance to the vital role played by COPUOS and UNOOSA in advancing the implementation of the SGDs through the peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable use of outer space. As the global governance of space becomes increasingly important, we strongly support further strengthening COPUOS and UNOOSA, including through holding a UNISPACE IV conference in Vienna in 2027, to ensure that space activities continue to benefit all humanity and contribute effectively to sustainable development, international cooperation, and global resilience.

Thank you.