On 16 July 2025, the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), in collaboration with Rasmussen Global, organised a scenario-based workshop in Brussels, convening representatives from EU institutions—including the European Commission, European Parliament, European External Action Service, the European Defence Agency—alongside the European Space Agency, Member States, and key industry partners, under the theme: “Towards a Safe & Sustainable Space: Bridging Policy and Programmatic Ambitions“.
The Workshop aimed at exploring how to best align policy and programmatic ambitions with competitiveness considerations, stimulating a creative yet realistic debate on how to manage the overcrowding and overexploitation of orbital resources.
With €131 billion earmarked for defence and space in the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework, the Workshop produced forward-looking recommendations—calling for reform of global governance frameworks, a more deliberate and coordinated European approach to space diplomacy, and a renewed effort to capitalise on Europe’s strengths across the entire space value chain.
Participants of the Workshop included:
- Cecil Ameil, Director Regulatory Affairs, SES
- Charles Bouland, Space Attaché, Permanent Representation of France to the EU
- Matthieu Derrey, Space Products Sustainability Manager, Airbus Defence and Space
- Tim Flohrer, Head Space Debris Office, ESA
- Rodolphe Muñoz, Legal Officer, DG DEFIS, European Commission
- Milan Seghier, Policy Officer, European Defence Agency
- Flora Seube, Head of European Affairs, Eutelsat Group
- Zsolt G. Pataki, Senior Policy Analyst, European Parliament Research Services
- Regina Peldszus, Policy Officer Space Security, Space, European External Action Service
- Frederik Carsten Pedersen, Space Attaché, Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU
- Salvatore Pignataro, Space Attaché, Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU
A big thank you to Rasmussen Global, in particular, Alessia Basello, Project Manager, Rasmussen Global; Lise Erard, Project Manager, Rasmussen Global; and Arthur de Liedekerke, Senior Director European Affairs, Rasmussen Global, and to our Sara Dalledonne and Alberto Rueda Carazo for the effort in organising and moderating the event. Thanks also to all the participants for their insightful contributions.
