EU secure connectivity programme (2023–2027)

KEY POINTS

• The EU’s secure connectivity programme sets goals for how it will deploy an EU satellite constellation called IRIS² (infrastructure for resilience, interconnectivity and security by satellite). IRIS² will provide ultra-fast (low-latency) and highly secure communication services by 2027.
• The primary objective of IRIS² is to provide EU Member States with guaranteed access to highly secure, sovereign and global connectivity services that match their operational needs, such as protection of critical infrastructure, surveillance and support for external action or crisis management, along with military applications. The security of these communications will be based on advanced encryption technologies, including quantum cryptography.
• IRIS² will also contribute to the EU’s digital transition and Global Gateway strategy and represents a giant leap for the EU’s resilience and technological sovereignty. It aims at enabling the provision of a commercial infrastructure to provide high-speed broadband and seamless connectivity in the EU and in the geographical areas of strategic interest beyond the European borders, such as the Arctic region and Africa.

Objectives

The programme has a number of specific objectives, including:

• developing, building and operating a multi-orbital space-based state-of-the-art connectivity system, continuously adapted to the demand evolution of governmental satellite communications, taking into account the existing and future assets of the Member States;
• complementing and integrating the existing and future capacities of the European Union Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) component into the secure connectivity system;
• making the communication services of the EU and its Member States more resilient, secure and autonomous;
• further developing and gradually integrating the European quantum communication structure into the secure connectivity system;
• improving and expanding the capabilities and services of other components of the EU space programme;
• enhancing the safety and sustainability of outer space activities, including by seeking to prevent the proliferation of space debris;
• creating an environment that is favourable to the further development of high-speed broadband and seamless connectivity throughout Europe.

Main uses

• The governmental services will support the protection of critical infrastructures, situational awareness, external actions, crisis management and applications that are critical for the economy, the environment, security and defence.
• The commercial services will include worldwide high-speed broadband and seamless connectivity and will be defined in detail and provided by the private sector.

Timeline

The provision of governmental services will be ensured in the following phased activities, complementing and integrating the European Union Governmental Satellite Communications component into the secure connectivity system:

1. the definition, design, development, validation and related deployment activities for the construction of the space and ground infrastructure required for the provision of the first governmental services by 2024;
2. gradual deployment activities to complete the space and ground infrastructure required for the provision of advanced governmental services, in order to meet the needs of government-authorised users as soon as possible, aiming to achieve full operational capability by 2027.

Budget and funding

The EU’s contribution to the implementation of the programme from 2023 until 2027 is €2.4 billion at current prices.