The EU needs to put more energy into drone technology, space communications and space traffic management. The European Commission calls for the creation of’ flagship projects ‘ in which the civil, space and Defence Industries share their research results and innovations, so that Europe becomes a showcase in the world.
For this, the member states must cooperate more with each other, and also ‘cross-pollinate’ with the United States and other like-minded countries, according to the EU’s day-to-day administration. Full use must be made of existing EU programmes and funds, including the European Defence Fund, which will provide a total of EUR 8 billion over the next seven years. This will allow the EU to become more competitive.
According to Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, cooperation between industries is needed for a number of key technologies. In presenting an action plan, she drew attention to good examples that in the past have led, for example, to GPS, the internet “and even duct tape”, the grey, self-adhesive and waterproof textile-based adhesive tape.
The commission also wants the EU to become less dependent on key technologies developed outside the EU. In addition, industrial leadership will help the EU recover from the coronavirus crisis, she believes.
