Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission, delivered an address to the ESA Council, on 13 September 2016.
His speech focused on future EU space strategy and was warmly received by all ESA Council delegates and by ESA Director General Jan Woerner. It comes at a very important time in the common ambition for Europe to remain a world-class actor in space.
Vice-President Šefčovič’s address is a key element in the joint efforts of ESA and the European Commission (EC) to consolidate efforts in the lead up to the ESA Council Meeting at Ministerial Level on 1–2 December 2016, and in the publication of the EC’s communication on a strategy for space.
ESA and the EC are working together to boost integration of space into European society and economy, foster a globally competitive European space sector, and ensure European autonomy in accessing and using space.