The European Union, in a statement on 10 June 2026 at the 69th session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), called for convening a fourth UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE IV) in 2027 and urged progress on space traffic management, debris mitigation, and legal frameworks for orbital sustainability. The statement, delivered by the EU Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna, also condemned Russia's war against Ukraine and DPRK's satellite launches using ballistic missile technology.
The EU's intervention builds on the UN Pact for the Future, which encourages COPUOS to further consult on the UNISPACE IV proposal. The EU supports the conference to address space sustainability, space traffic management and coordination, space debris, space resources, and international cooperation, and to invite private sector and civil society stakeholders.
Space traffic and debris mitigation remain key priorities. The EU encouraged the Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities to advance discussions on implementing the 21 LTS Guidelines and the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, and to continue work beyond 2026. The EU welcomed the establishment of the Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness, chaired by the UAE, and called for further discussions on legal aspects of space traffic, including a possible dedicated working group.
The EU recalled its Space Days held in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 26-27 May 2026, and looked forward to the European Space Forum in Brussels on 30 June-1 July 2026. The EU Space Programme components GALILEO, EGNOS, COPERNICUS, and IRIS² were highlighted for their benefits to users in the EU and third countries. The EU also noted that COPERNICUS supports climate adaptation, food security, and environmental protection under the Global Gateway initiative.
On lunar activities, the EU welcomed progress by the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation (ATLAC), co-chaired by Romania and Pakistan, as a forum for safe and coordinated lunar exploration.
The statement reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the Outer Space Treaty as the cornerstone of international space law and encouraged all states to ratify it. The EU also expressed grave concern over violations of the UN Charter affecting multilateral cooperation on outer space, specifically condemning Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and DPRK's illegal satellite launches.
The EU's push for UNISPACE IV and stronger space traffic rules could benefit the private space sector and civil society by creating a more predictable regulatory environment, but may impose new compliance costs on satellite operators and spacefaring nations. The emphasis on debris mitigation and space traffic management may increase operational burdens for commercial and government space actors, while enhancing safety for all orbital users. The condemnation of Russia and DPRK may further isolate those countries from international space cooperation.