Why Space Matters to Europe: President von der Leyen on the Future of EU Space Policy

"Our security on Earth increasingly depends on our security in space." - President von der Leyen On 10 September 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the International Space Summit in Paris, France. In her speech, President von der Leyen stated that space has become indispensable to Europe’s economy, security and everyday life, and emphasised that the European Union must remain a strong and dependable space power. She underscored the importance of increasing investment in innovation and resilience, safeguarding critical space infrastructure, reinforcing Europe’s autonomous launch capabilities, and deepening cooperation with partners while ensuring fair competition. She further stressed that Europe’s space policy should serve to strengthen defence, climate monitoring, connectivity, and technological leadership. For the full transcript of the President's speech, see here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/press... Disclaimer: Comments considered in breach of our social media moderation policy may be removed. You can take a look at it here: https://europa.eu/!q4KMP8 Follow us on: -X:   / eu_commission   -Instagram:   / europeancommission   -Facebook:   / europeancommission   -LinkedIn:   / european-commission   -Medium:   / europeancommission   Check our website: https://commission.europa.eu/