On September 10, the United States and the European Union released a Joint
Statement on U.S.-EU Space Cooperation after the two-day 13th U.S.-EU
Space Dialogue. Senior officials from both governments met on September 8
and 9 to discuss commercial space, security, and safety, including a
roundtable with U.S. industry leaders. The released statement
specifically mentions […]
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#^Draft EU Space Act: A Look At The U.S. ReactionOn September 10, the United States and the European Union released a
Joint Statement on U.S.-EU Space Cooperation after the two-day 13th U.S.-EU Space Dialogue. Senior officials from both governments met on September 8 and 9 to discuss commercial space, security, and safety, including a roundtable with U.S. industry leaders.
The released statement specifically mentions barriers to trade and commerce and references a Joint Statement between U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President von der Leyen on August 21, 2025, which committed both to “fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade.”
This statement comes on the heels of the publishing of draft legislation known as the
EU Space Act in June. The act aims to create a regulatory framework for space activity and industry innovation in the EU.
Constructing Pillars – or Barriers
The reference to fair trade and the previous U.S.-EU agreement seem to allude to a dissatisfaction with the proposed EU Space Act in the Trump administration. U.S. policymakers and industry members have condemned the act because it would make it harder for U.S. companies to do business on the continent. Differing technical standards, mandated design features, and additional authorizations would drastically increase costs for companies in money and time. Even without tariffs, the EU Space Act creates barriers to market entry for U.S. and other international companies.
At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit on September 11, Vice President of Public Policy & Community Engagement at Amazon, Brian Huseman, made statements against the legislation, including that the EU Space Act prioritized EU companies over U.S. companies.
However, the U.S. space industry and conservative policymakers are generally biased against environmental and sustainability regulations, a major pillar of the EU Space Act. A July
proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency to rescind regulations limiting fossil fuel emissions and electric vehicle mandates is just one example of the Trump administration’s rolling back of climate regulations.
The EU Space Act is also expected to hurt European companies. Adding regulatory barriers to space activities is viewed to be more likely to stifle innovation and the scaling up of start up companies. Additional regulatory burdens are also largely the opposite of the recommendations of the
Draghi competitiveness strategy, a report published in September 2024 that has become a basis for many of the EU efforts to increase economic competitiveness.
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Draft EU Space Act: A Look At The U.S. Reaction appeared first on
Orbital Today.
