EU approves joint response to threats against member states’ satellites — Breaking Defense

The Council of the European Union has approved a mechanism for a collective response to threats against satellites and related ground infrastructure of any of the 27 member states. Decision No. 2026/2195 of September 23 provides for possible political, economic or military steps in response to such threats, Breaking Defense reports.

Expansion of the response mechanism

The document expands the EU’s architecture for responding to space threats, established in 2021. Until now, it primarily enabled responses to threats against shared European satellite systems, including the Galileo navigation system and the Copernicus Earth observation constellation.

The mechanism now covers threats to the security of the EU, individual member states, or both, even if they are not directly connected to the Union’s space assets. An EU background document lists cyberattacks, espionage, supply-chain disruptions, as well as threats to ground stations and broader space infrastructure among the possible risks.

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Possible actions by the European Union

The decision also strengthens the ability of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to act independently if an urgent response is needed. Michael Gleason, an expert at the Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy, noted that at the request of a member state, the EU may decide to assist with the response.

Xavier Pasco, a senior researcher at the French Foundation for Strategic Research, linked the new decision to the EU’s 2023 Space Security and Defence Strategy. According to him, while the previous strategy mainly defined indirect approaches to response, the current document focuses more on direct protection and threat detection.

At the same time, the decision is a framework document and does not add new military capabilities to EU member states’ arsenals. It also does not guarantee that the Union will necessarily resort to military action in response to low-intensity threats or attacks.