Von der Leyen to Deliver Major Space Speech at Paris Summit Amid Rising Security Concerns
Quick Look
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver a major space-focused speech at the International Space Summit in Paris on Sept.
- 10, unveiling the European Space Shield action plan to protect EU satellites amid rising concerns over Russian hybrid threats like GPS jamming.
- Her participation was previously unreported.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The European Commission is expanding its role in defense and security policy, areas traditionally handled by the EU's diplomatic service (EEAS), as part of broader efforts to strengthen the bloc's strategic autonomy. This comes amid growing concerns over Russian hybrid warfare tactics, including GPS jamming and spoofing, which have disrupted civilian and military operations in Europe, particularly around the Baltic Sea. The International Space Summit in Paris serves as a platform for von der Leyen to signal the EU's renewed focus on space as a security domain.
BRUSSELS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver a major speech dedicated solely to space at the International Space Summit in Paris on Sept. 10, two officials working on preparations for the event told POLITICO.
The address comes as the Commission prepares to unveil its European Space Shield, an action plan aimed at protecting the bloc's satellites and other space assets in what officials increasingly describe as an increasingly hostile security environment.
French President Emmanuel Macron is convening a two-day International Space Summit at Paris' Grand Palais venue on Sept. 9-10. It is expected to bring together delegations from more than 120 countries alongside space agencies, industry leaders, scientists and military officials.
Von der Leyen's participation in the event has not been previously reported.
The Commission president's focus on space reflects mounting concern over Russian hybrid actions that appear to be taking aim at Europe's reliance on satellites for everything from military communications to civilian navigation. GPS jamming and spoofing, for example, have surged recently around the Baltic Sea, disrupting thousands of flights, according to Sweden's public broadcaster SVT. Von der Leyen herself got a taste of the potential risks last year when the private jet she was taking to Bulgaria experienced GPS interference.
The space policy address also comes as von der Leyen continues to build up the Commission's defense and security apparatus — including a new top recruitment of a senior official poached from the EU's diplomatic service.
Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss, currently the European External Action Service's managing director for peace, security and defense, is expected to join the Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). POLITICO previously reported she is expected to be appointed director for a new unit on Ukraine.
Von Seherr-Thoss did not respond to several requests for comment. The European Commission's spokesperson service declined to comment on senior appointments.
The expected move comes at a sensitive moment for the EEAS and its chief, former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Von der Leyen has increasingly sought to expand the Commission's footprint in areas traditionally associated with the EU's diplomatic service, from defense and foreign policy to intelligence, adding to tensions over where the Commission's remit ends and the EEAS' begins.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss will be formally appointed to lead a new unit in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) within the next 4-6 weeks.
Likely · Within weeks
The European Commission will unveil the European Space Shield action plan during or immediately following Ursula von der Leyen's speech at the International Space Summit in Paris on Sept. 10.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What specific measures will the European Space Shield include?
- When will Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss's appointment to the Commission be formally confirmed?
- How will the EEAS respond to the Commission's expanding role in defense and space?
- What evidence links the recent GPS interference to Russian state actors?
