EU framework contract: legal and management support for IRIS², Space Traffic Management and Space Economy

Legal and management support on the implementation of components of the European Space Programme Expected outcome: selecting a set of companies able to provide ad hoc support on various programmatic, managerial and legal aspects on IRIS², Space Traffic Management and Space Economy for the next 4 years.

In the scope of the Regulation (EU) 2023/588 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023- 2027, the European Commission has signed a 12-year Concession Contract on 126 December 2024 for the development, the deployment and the operation of the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) programme. IRIS² consists in 264 LEO satellites, 18 MEO satellites and a ground infrastructure to be deployed by 2030 which aim at providing a secure, low-latency connectivity to EU Members States, Governmental users and Commercials users with a worldwide coverage. The programme will be split in 4 phases: 1. Phase 1: Supply chain consolidation This maximum 1-year phase will enable the IRIS² Concessionaire to finalise suppliers’ selection. This should also allow the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle to handle the Concession Contract until its end in 12 years. 2. Phase 2: Development phase This 2-year phase will be mainly dedicated to the design and the development of the infrastructure. 3. Phase 3: Deployment phase This phase is expected to last 3 years and will be dedicated to the industrialisation, production and launch of the infrastructure. 4. Phase 4: Operation phase The rest of period of 12 years will consist in operating the IRIS² infrastructure and providing services. During these 4 phases, the European Commission will supervise the Concessionaire’s activities and collaborate with it to ensure the proper execution of the Concession Contract respecting the contractual performances, cost and schedule of IRIS². The envisaged Framework Contract is expected to cover these Phases 1, 2 and 3.
EU Space Surveillance and Tracking (EU SST) is a key capability that helps to protect space infrastructure and services from in-orbit collisions between space objects and other disruptions. It thereby safeguards European economies, societies and citizens who increasingly rely on space-based services such as navigation or Earth observation, and so contributes to the resilience of European space assets and to a higher level of EU strategic autonomy. Integrated in 2021 as a full-fledged subcomponent of the EU Space Programme, EU SST is fully operational, with its own network of sensors from EU Member States, a database connecting national Operations Centres, and services provided to users through the EU SST Front Desk at EUSPA. It is also security relevant: its internal data policy protects sensitive information and the security interests of EU SST partners, and gives guidelines on handling SST data. In the framework of the current ECF proposal, new services are proposed and a new governance might emerge. The Commission adopted on 25 June 2025 the EU Space Act – a legislative proposal for a Regulation on the safety, resilience and environmental sustainability of space activities. The EU Space Act is a groundbreaking proposal, responding directly to the need to strengthen the Union’s resilience and competitiveness. It is the first European regulatory answer to the market fragmentation that hinders our space industry’s competitiveness and to the emerging risks of safety and security to space infrastructure and satellites orbits. This Act is linked directly to EUSST activities. It foresees the involvement of EUSST in future activities and services aiming to protect safety and sustainability in space.
To secure Europe’s competitiveness on the global level, on 25 June 2025 the European Commission adopted its Communication “A Vision for the European Space Economy” . It is the first Commission’s initiative to define and address the entire space economy, including the emerging in-space economy. The Vision takes a holistic approach, looking beyond the EU Space Programme components to strengthen Europe’s space economy from the upstream (manufacturing, assembly, and launch infrastructures) to the downstream sector (space-based data, products, and services), including in-orbit and (cis)lunar space. It aims to help EU companies deliver space-derived products and services to a wide range of economic sectors on Earth, while also supporting Mmember Sstates in achieving their national space programme objectives. The Communication proposes forty-six actions points that willto place Europe as a leader in global space economy by 2050. Space-based technologies and services are vital to the maintenance and improvement of the European Union's strategic non-dependence, security, resilience and global competitiveness. The EU already boasts world-class space-based services, from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (Galileo) and Earth Observation (Copernicus) to secure satellite communications (IRIS² and GOVSATCOM). Yet, the global space economy continues to evolve rapidly, driven by international competition, technological innovation, and geopolitical tensions. By some estimates, its economic value is projected to reach USD 1.8 trillion by 2035 and the launch of approximately 100.000 satellites are expected to be launched in just this decade.