Malta urges space sector to align with non-space industries EU-wide

The space sector should collaborate with and engage non-space industries to support the exploitation of the outer space’s potential for socioeconomic benefits, junior minister Silvio Schembri said yesterday when attending the Research Council in Brussels, according to a press statement by the government’s Department of Information (DOI).

“The space sector should reach out to a wider participation, in a collaborative manner and engage the non-space industries, such as ICT, AI, tourism, maritime and oceans, health and climate change,” said the Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation. “This will help ensure that the socio-economic benefits of space would be truly exploited to their full potential by end-users in the various economic value chains,” Mr Schembri added.

Research and Space Ministers met in Brussels yesterday for the Council meeting of Ministers of the European Union under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Among others, the meeting discussed Europe’s role as a global actor in space and as a contributor to building global space governance.

Participating the Council of the European Space Agency (ESA), ministers adopted the “Space as an enabler” resolution, which emphasises the role of space as an enabler for socio-economic benefits and for the expansion of knowledge, especially in science, technology and applications. Legislators expect this resolution to support industries such as energy, public health, environment, agriculture, transport and climate change.

“Malta has recently launched its vision to establish its own National Space Strategy with the aim of creating a regulatory framework and incentives, which improve Malta’s attractiveness and capability to capitalise upon commercial activities related to the outer space,” Mr Schembri said according to the DOI release.

The ministers attending the council agreed that the fields of research and innovation are the driving force for a more competitive European Union, and in order to deliver on the objectives in these fields, the bloc should show higher levels of commitment.

Malta’s representatives urged the EU to prioritise research investments to address global societal challenges and the general sustainability of our economies, the government press statement says.

The Parliamentary Secretary was accompanied by the Deputy Permanent Representative Lorenzo Vella, Technical Attaché Omar Cutajar and Dr Ing James Foden, Senior Director within the Malta Council for Science and Technology.