Why a Vision for the Space Economy?
On 25 June 2025, the European Commission unveiled its Vision for the European Space Economy, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to position the EU as a global leader in the space economy by 2050.
The Vision marks a paradigm shift in how Europe approaches space policy. For the first time, the European space economy is addressed as a comprehensive ecosystem—encompassing not only the industrial base but also orbital and beyond-orbital dimensions, including emerging areas such as space mining and in-space resource use.
What does the Vision set out to achieve?
The Vision outlines a future-proof strategy to ensure Europe captures a strong share of the global space market, while reinforcing its autonomy and technological edge. It establishes over 40 concrete actions to strengthen the EU’s space ecosystem, including:
- Strategic Coordination and Governance
The Commission will launch a ‘Space Team Europe’—a high-level, inclusive forum of European space stakeholders including ESA and EUSPA—to unify fragmented efforts and consolidate capabilities across the EU - Support for Innovation and Investment
The Vision calls for:- A pilot Seed Investment Facility, Growth Investment Facility, and Debt/Non-dilutive Financing Facility (linked to CASSINI).
- Enhanced cooperation with ESA and EUSPA to ensure seamless internal market procedures.
- A procurement platform for non-EU opportunities in coordination with EU Delegations.
- Monitoring and Competitiveness Tools
Beginning in 2025, the Commission will develop a dedicated methodology to monitor:- The EU’s competitiveness in space
- The EU’s share of the global space economy
These indicators will be integrated into the EU Competitive Compass Coordination Tool.
- A Global Role
Europe’s space economy will be future-oriented and open to international partnerships—while safeguarding critical supply chains and securing access to strategic space technologies. Cooperation with ESA will also focus on aligning policies and actions under the Commission-ESA-EDA joint task force.
Next Steps
Implementation of the Vision begins immediately. The Commission will work closely with:
- Member States
- The European Space Agency (ESA)
- The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)
- Private and public stakeholders across the space economy.
The strategy is fully aligned with other EU economic and innovation agendas, including:
- The Draghi, Letta, and Niinistö reports
- The Competitiveness Compass
- The EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy