The Single Market at the Crossroads of Space Policies: Procurement and Innovation

This paper aims to connect innovation procurement (IP) in Europe, particularly in relation to mission-oriented innovation and the Sustainable Development Goals, with an analysis of the space sector, especially in view of the direction recently taken by the European Union (EU), the interactions between public and private actors, new competitive dynamics, and economic planning in this field. The analysis begins by introducing the new EU space programme and examining the principles that underpin it, with particular attention to the available financial instruments. It will then present critical analyses on two fronts. On the one hand, it will argue that the space sector serves as a prime testing ground for IP. Public sector-driven innovation is expected to have a considerable impact on the growth and development of the European economy. On the other hand, it will offer some critical remarks concerning the inherently ‘innovative’ role of public procurement in shaping the future of European space policies, given the latest market and geopolitical dynamics. The paper will conclude with an examination of concrete cases: the development of the IRIS2 infrastructure and a procurement case-law involving the new EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA).