PARIS (ESA PR) — European leaders will reaffirm plans to launch Europe on a world-leading trajectory during a high-level space summit to be held on 16 February in Toulouse, France.

Urgent action is needed to tackle the unprecedented societal, economic and security challenges faced by Europe – from the climate crisis and its consequences to threats to crucial infrastructure in space and on Earth.

MATOSINHOS, Portugal (ESA PR) — Government ministers in charge of space activities in ESA’s Member States today met at an Intermediate Ministerial Meeting held in Matosinhos, Portugal.

The Council of Ministers unanimously adopted a Resolution to accelerate the use of space in Europe (the “Matosinhos manifesto”) to tackle the urgent and unprecedented societal, economic and security challenges faced by Europe and its citizens.

The Resolution defined three “accelerators” to bring Europe’s space ambitions to the next level, mandating the ESA Director General to develop their governance and funding concepts, in concert with the Member States.

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS RESOLUTION ON
Accelerating the Use of Space in Europe
(“The Matosinhos Manifesto”)
(adopted on 19 November 2021 in Matosinhos, Portugal)

The Council, meeting at ministerial level,

CONVINCED that in times of unprecedented challenges facing Europe and the world at large, it is the moment to contribute with bold, shared ambitions to solutions enabled by space, a sector that is ever more indispensable for our common future,

HAVING REGARD to the ESA Director General’s ‘Agenda 2025’ (ESA/C(2021)51) as a vision for Europe to maintain and expand its excellence in space, for the benefit of everyone on Earth and in Europe in particular,