"I/A" Item Note on European Space Policy: "ESDP and Space"

Brussels, 18 Nov 2004

Full text of Document 14628/04
Suite of documents 14628/04

No. prev. doc.: 11616/3/04 REV 3
Subject: European Space Policy: "ESDP and Space"

1. The importance of space applications was stated by the Council in its conclusions of 19 May 2003 and in the Presidency's report on European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) which was endorsed by the European Council meeting in Thessaloniki on 19 and 20 June 2003.

2. On 9 December 2003 the Political and Security Committee (PSC) repeated its view that regular inter-pillar reflection in depth was required to ensure that the defence and security aspects of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and ESDP were taken into account in deliberations on European Union Space Policy and its associated programmes.

3. In its study entitled "Space systems requirements for ESDP support", submitted to the PSC on September 2004 the European Union Military Committee (EUMC) raised the need to speed up conceptual work in Council bodies with the aim of defining a Space Policy, which was a pre-requisite for the preparation and analysis of military operational requirements by capacity-development structures.

4. This document defines the contributions that can be made to ESDP by space applications and how realistic capacities, complying with the objectives defined in European Security Policy, may be achieved. It is a contribution by the ESDP to overall thinking on European Union Space Policy. It is intended to serve as a reference for future proceedings in the field of military capacities.

5. The content of this document was approved by the PSC on 16 November 2004.

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