(1)

The conclusions of the European Council of 19-20 December 2013 welcomed the preparations for the next generation of governmental satellite communications through close cooperation between the Member States, the Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA). Governmental satellite communications have also been identified as one of the elements of the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy of June 2016. Governmental satellite communications are to contribute to the EU response to Hybrid Threats and provide support to the EU Maritime Security Strategy and to the EU Arctic policy.

(2)

The conclusions of the European Council of 21-22 March 2019 stressed that the Union needs to go further in developing a competitive, secure, inclusive and ethical digital economy with world-class connectivity.

(3)

The Communication of the Commission of 22 February 2021, entitled ‘Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries’, states that it aims to ‘enable access to high-speed connectivity for everyone in Europe, and provide a resilient connectivity system allowing Europe to remain connected whatever happens’.

(4)

‘A Strategic Compass for Security and Defence’ adopted by the Council on 21 March 2022 recognises that the space infrastructure of the Union and of its Member States contributes to our resilience and offers key services that substitute or complement ground infrastructures for telecommunications. It therefore calls for the Union to work on the proposal for a Union space-based global secure communication system.

(5)

One of the components of the Union Space Programme established by Regulation (EU) 2021/696 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) is GOVSATCOM, which aims to ensure the long-term availability of reliable, secure, scalable and cost-effective satellite communications services for GOVSATCOM users. Regulation (EU) 2021/696 envisages that in a first phase of the GOVSATCOM component, until approximately 2025, existing capacity would be pooled and shared through the GOVSATCOM Hub. In that context, the Commission is to procure GOVSATCOM capacities from Member States with national systems and space capacities and from commercial satellite communication or service providers, taking into account the essential security interests of the Union.

In that first phase, GOVSATCOM services are to be introduced on the basis of a step-by-step approach, in light of the scaling up of the GOVSATCOM Hub infrastructure capabilities. That approach is also based on the premise that if in the course of the first phase a detailed analysis of future supply and demand reveals that it was insufficient to cover the evolving demand, it will be necessary to move to a second phase and develop additional bespoke space infrastructure or capacities through cooperation with the private sector, for example with Union satellite operators.

(6)

On 22 March 2017, the Council’s Political and Security Committee endorsed the High Level Civil Military User Needs for Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM), which were prepared by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and with which the military user’s requirements identified by the European Defence Agency in its Common Staff Target adopted in 2013 and the civilian user needs collected by the Commission have been merged. Subsequent analyses by the Commission showed that the Union’s current satellite communication offer, on the basis of capacities from Member States with national systems as well as the private sector, cannot meet certain new needs of the governmental demand which are moving towards higher security solutions, low latency and global coverage. Those needs should be monitored and reassessed regularly.

(7)

Recent technical progress has allowed non-geostationary-orbit (NGSO) communications constellations to emerge and gradually offer high-speed and low latency connectivity services. There is therefore a window of opportunity for addressing the evolving needs of government-authorised users by developing and deploying additional infrastructure as filings for the frequencies with the International Telecommunication Union which are necessary to provide the required services are currently available within the Union. If not used, those filings for the frequencies will become obsolete and be attributed to other players. As frequencies and orbital slots are an increasingly scarce resource, the Commission, through an open and transparent process with the Member States, should seize this opportunity to conclude with the Member States providing the filings for the frequencies dedicated licensing agreements for the provision of governmental services based on the governmental infrastructure. The private sector is responsible for obtaining the rights on filings for the frequencies required for the provision of commercial services.

(8)

There is growing demand by the Union’s governmental actors for secure and reliable spaced-based satellite communication services, particularly because they are the most viable option in the absence of ground-based communication systems or where they are disrupted or unreliable. Affordable and cost-effective access to satellite communication is also indispensable in areas where there is no terrestrial infrastructure, including over oceans, in airspace, in remote areas and where terrestrial infrastructure faces serious outage or cannot be trusted in crisis situations. Satellite communication can increase the overall resilience of communication networks, for example offering an alternative in the case of physical attacks or cyberattacks on local terrestrial infrastructure, accidents or natural or man-made disasters.

(9)

The Union should ensure the provision of resilient, global, secure, protected, uninterrupted, guaranteed and flexible satellite communication solutions for evolving governmental needs and requirements, built on a Union technological and industrial base, in order to increase the resilience of Member States’ and Union institutions’ operations.

(10)

Therefore, it is important to establish a new programme, namely the Union Secure Connectivity Programme (the ‘Programme’), to provide for a Union satellite-based, multi-orbital communication infrastructure for governmental use, while integrating and complementing existing and future national and European capacities in the framework of the GOVSATCOM component, and developing further and gradually integrating the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) initiative into the secure connectivity system.

(11)

The Programme should meet the new governmental needs for higher security solutions, low latency and global coverage. It should ensure the provision and long-term availability of worldwide uninterrupted access to secure, autonomous, reliable and cost-effective satellite governmental communication services, supporting the resilience and protection of critical infrastructure, situational awareness, external actions, crisis management, as well as applications that are critical for the Union’s and Member States’ economy, security and defence, through a dedicated governmental infrastructure which integrates and complements the capacities of GOVSATCOM. Moreover, the Programme should prioritise the delivery of governmental services and allow for the provision of commercial services by the European private sector, taking into account a market survey including consultation of government-authorised users, through a commercial infrastructure.

(12)

Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) sets a series of objectives and targets to promote the development of resilient, secure, performant and sustainable digital infrastructures in the Union, including a digital target for the Commission and Member States to achieve gigabit connectivity for all by 2030. The Programme should enable connectivity across the Union and around the globe, for citizens and business, including, but not limited to, providing access to affordable high-speed broadband that can help remove communication dead zones and increase cohesion across the Union, including its outermost regions, rural, peripheral, remote and isolated areas and islands. The satellite services cannot currently replace the performance of ground-based networks but can bridge the digital divide and even contribute, where applicable, to the general objectives of Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4).

(13)

The Programme should therefore consist of the definition, design, development, validation and related deployment activities for the construction of the initial space and ground infrastructure, required for the provision of first governmental services. The Programme should then entail gradual deployment activities aimed at completing both the space and ground infrastructure required for the provision of advanced governmental services, which are currently not available and are beyond the state-of-the-art of existing European satellite communication services. Moreover, the Programme should promote the development of user terminals able to exploit the advanced communication services. The exploitation activities should begin as soon as possible with the provision of the first governmental services aimed by 2024, so that the needs of government-authorised users are met as soon as possible. The Programme should then entail activities aiming to complete both the space and ground infrastructure required for a full operational capability by 2027. The provision of governmental services, the operation, maintenance and continuous improvement of the space and ground infrastructure, once deployed, as well as the development of the future generations of the governmental services, should be part of the exploitation activities.

(14)

In June 2019, Member States signed the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) Declaration (the ‘Declaration’), agreeing to work together, with the Commission and with the support of ESA, towards the development of a quantum communication infrastructure covering the whole Union. In accordance with the Declaration, EuroQCI aims to deploy a certified secure end-to-end quantum communication infrastructure, enabling information and data to be transmitted and stored and to be capable of linking critical public communication assets throughout the Union. The Programme will contribute to meeting the objectives of the Declaration by developing a EuroQCI space and ground infrastructure integrated into the governmental infrastructure of the Programme, as well as by developing and deploying the EuroQCI terrestrial infrastructure, which will be owned by the Member States. The EuroQCI space, ground and terrestrial infrastructure should be developed within the Programme in two main phases, a preliminary validation phase, which may involve the development and validation of several different technologies and communication protocols, and a full-deployment phase including appropriate solutions for inter-satellite connectivity and data relay between satellites, the ground and the terrestrial infrastructure.

(15)

One of the main functions of the EuroQCI will be to allow for quantum distribution of cryptographic keys (QKD). To date, QKD technology and products are not sufficiently mature to be used for the protection of EU classified information (EUCI). The main issues concerning QKD security, such as standardisation of QKD protocols, side channel analysis and evaluation methodology, still need to be solved. The Programme should therefore support the EuroQCI and allow for the inclusion of approved cryptographic products in the infrastructure when available.

(16)

In order to protect EUCI in a satisfactory secured manner, primary solutions to counter threats posed by quantum computing should be the combination of conventional solutions, post-quantum cryptography and possibly QKD in hybrid approaches. The Programme should therefore use such approaches, for the purpose of ensuring both state-of the-art cryptography and key distribution.

(17)

In order to expand Union satellite communication capacities, the Programme infrastructure should be based upon, integrate and complement the infrastructure developed for the purposes of the of the GOVSATCOM component. In particular, the Programme’s ground infrastructure should be based upon the GOVSATCOM Hubs, as progressively scaled up on the basis of user needs through other ground segment assets, including those of the Member States willing to contribute additionally, on the basis of operational and security requirements.

(18)

The Programme should improve secure connectivity over geographical areas of strategic interest, such as Africa and the Arctic as well as the Baltic, the Black Sea, Mediterranean regions and the Atlantic. The services provided under the Programme should also contribute to geopolitical resilience by offering additional connectivity in line with policy targets in those regions and with the Joint Communication of the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security policy of 1 December 2021 entitled ‘The Global Gateway’.

(19)

Without prejudice to the communication services, the satellites built for the purposes of the Programme could be equipped with subsystems, including payloads, that can allow the increase of the capacity and services of the components of the Union Space Programme, enabling thereby the development of additional non-communication services to be decided by the Programme committee meeting in the relevant configuration, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/696, and implemented under the conditions set out in this Regulation. If the benefit to the components of the Union Space Programme is duly established, taking into account user needs and budgetary constraints, those subsystems could be developed to offer alternative positioning, navigation and timing services complementing Galileo, to ensure the broadcast of European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) messages with a lower latency, to provide space-based sensors for space surveillance and to support the enhancement of current Copernicus capabilities, in particular for emergency and civil security services. Moreover, those subsystems could provide non-communication services to Member States, under the condition that this does not impact the security and budget of the Programme.

(20)

Considering the importance for the Programme of its ground governmental infrastructure and the impact thereof on its security, the location of such infrastructure should be determined by the Commission, in line with the general security requirements and following an open and transparent process, with a view to ensuring a balanced distribution among Member States. The deployment of the ground governmental infrastructure of the Programme, which also integrates the infrastructure developed under the GOVSATCOM component, could involve the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (the ‘Agency’) or, where appropriate and within its field of competence, ESA.

(21)

It is vital for the security of the Union and its Member States and for ensuring the security and integrity of the governmental services, that the space assets of the Programme are launched from the Union’s territory. In exceptional, duly substantiated circumstances, it should be possible for such launches to take place from the territory of a third country. In addition to heavy and medium launchers, small launchers and microlaunchers could provide additional flexibility to allow for a rapid deployment of the space assets.

(22)

It is important that the Union owns all tangible and intangible assets related to governmental infrastructure developed under the Programme, except the EuroQCI terrestrial infrastructure, while ensuring the compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, including Article 17 thereof. Despite the ownership by the Union of those assets, it should be possible for the Union, in accordance with this Regulation and, where it is deemed appropriate on a case-by-case assessment, to make those assets available to third parties or to dispose of them.

(23)

Union-wide initiatives, such as the secure connectivity initiative, are shaped by the broad participation of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and large enterprises from the upstream and downstream space sector throughout the Union. In recent years, some space actors have challenged the space sector, in particular start-ups and SMEs which developed innovative, market-driven space technologies and applications, sometimes with different business models. In order to ensure the competitiveness of the Union space ecosystem, the Programme should maximise the use of innovative and disruptive technologies, as well as novel business models developed by the European space ecosystem, including New Space, in particular by SMEs, mid-cap companies and start-ups that develop market-driven novel space technologies and applications, while covering the whole space value chain encompassing the upstream and downstream segments.

(24)

It is essential to encourage private sector investment through appropriate procurement and aggregation of service contracts, thus reducing uncertainty and providing long-term visibility and predictability of public sector services needs. To ensure the competitiveness of the European space industry in the future, the Programme should also contribute to the development of advanced skills in space-related fields and support education and training activities, as well as promoting equal opportunities, gender equality and women’s empowerment, in order to realise the full potential of Union citizens in that area.

(25)

In line with the objectives set out in the Commission Communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’, the Programme should minimise, to the extent possible, its environmental impact. While the space assets do not themselves emit greenhouse gases while in use, their manufacturing and associated ground facilities do have an environmental impact. Measures should be adopted to mitigate that impact. To that end, the procurement referred to under the Programme should include principles and measures on sustainability, such as provisions to minimise and offset the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the development, production and deployment of the infrastructure, and measures to prevent light pollution, such as the impact on ground-based astronomical observations.

(26)

Given the growing number of spacecraft and space debris in orbit, the new European constellation should also satisfy space sustainability criteria and be an example of good practices in space traffic management and in space surveillance and tracking (SST), in order to reduce the amount of space debris produced, prevent on-orbit break-ups and on-orbit collision, and provide appropriate end-of-life spacecraft measures. As legitimate concerns on the protection of space environment are being discussed in international fora, such as within the United Nations’ Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, it is of the utmost importance that the Union shows leadership in space sustainability. The contracts procured under the Programme should ensure that the technology deployed enables the highest possible standards when it comes to sustainability, as well as energy and resource efficiency.

(27)

Operational requirements for the governmental services should be based on the assessment of government-authorised users’ needs, while also taking into account the capabilities of the current market offer. When assessing those requirements the current market capacities should be used to the largest extent possible. From those operational requirements, in combination with the general security requirements and evolving demand of governmental services, the service portfolio for governmental services should be developed. That service portfolio should establish the applicable baseline for the governmental services. It should also identify the categories of service which complement the service portfolio of the GOVSATCOM services established within the framework of Regulation (EU) 2021/696. The Commission should ensure the consistency and coherence of operational and security requirements between the GOVSATCOM component and the Programme. In order to maintain the best possible match between the demand and supply of services, the service portfolio for governmental services should be identified in 2023 and should be able to be regularly updated, after consulting Member States on the basis of those operational and security requirements.

(28)

Satellite communications is a finite resource limited by the satellite capacity, frequency and geographical coverage. Hence, in order to be cost-effective and to capitalise on economies of scale, the Programme should optimise the match between the supply and demand of the governmental services and avoid overcapacity. Since the demand and the potential supply both change over time, the Commission should monitor the needs to adjust the portfolio for the governmental services whenever this appears necessary.

(29)

Member States, the Council, the Commission and the EEAS, as well as Union agencies and bodies should be able to become Programme participants, insofar as they choose to authorise users of governmental services or provide capacities, sites or facilities. Taking into consideration that it is for the Member States to decide whether to authorise national users of governmental services, Member States should not be obliged to contribute to the Programme or to host the Programme infrastructure.

(30)

Each Programme participant should designate a competent secure connectivity authority to monitor whether users, and other national entities that play a role in the Programme, comply with the applicable rules and security procedures, as laid down in the general security requirements. Programme participants may confer the functions of such an authority to an existing authority.

(31)

This Regulation lays down a financial envelope for the entire duration of the Programme, which is to constitute the prime reference amount, within the meaning of point 18 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources (5), for the European Parliament and the Council during the annual budgetary procedure.

(32)

The objectives of the Programme are consistent and complementary with those of other Union programmes, particularly Horizon Europe, established by Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) and Council Decision (EU) 2021/764 (7), the Digital Europe Programme, established by Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8), the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, established by Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council (9), the Connecting Europe Facility, established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10) and, in particular, the Union Space Programme.

(33)

Horizon Europe will allocate a dedicated share of its Cluster ‘Digital, Industry and Space’ components to research and innovation activities related to development and validation of the secure connectivity system, including for the potential technologies that would be developed under the space ecosystem, including New Space. The Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI) will allocate a dedicated share of its Global Europe funds for activities related to the operation of the secure connectivity system and the worldwide provision of services that will make it possible to offer an array of services to international partners. The Union Space Programme will allocate a dedicated share of the GOVSATCOM component for the activities related to the development of the GOVSATCOM Hub which will form part of the ground infrastructure of the secure connectivity system. The funding stemming from these programmes should be implemented in accordance with the rules of these programmes.

(34)

Due to its inherent implications on the security of the Union and its Member States, the Programme also shares objectives and principles with the European Defence Fund, established by Regulation (EU) 2021/697 of the European Parliament and of the Council (11). Therefore, part of the funding from the European Defence Fund should be provided to fund the activities under the Programme, particularly the activities related to the deployment of its infrastructure.

(35)

In order to ensure that the Programme is implemented successfully, it is important to ensure that sufficient resources are available. Member States should be able to contribute with their technical competence, know-how and assistance, in particular in the fields of safety and security, or, where appropriate and possible, by making available to the Programme the data, information, services and infrastructure located on their territory. The Programme should be able to receive additional financial contributions or in-kind contributions from third parties, including Union agencies and bodies, Member States, third countries participating in the Programme or international organisations, in line with the relevant agreements.

(36)

Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council (12) (the ‘Financial Regulation’) applies to the Programme. The Financial Regulation lays down rules on the implementation of the Union budget, including the rules on grants, prizes, procurement, indirect management, financial instruments, budgetary guarantees, financial assistance and the reimbursement of external experts.

(37)

In accordance with Article 191(3) of the Financial Regulation, in no circumstances are the same costs to be financed twice by the Union budget.

(38)

The Commission should be able to have recourse, as required and insofar as necessary, to the technical assistance of certain external parties, insofar as Union security interests are preserved. Other entities involved in the public governance of the Programme should also be able to make use of the same technical assistance in performing tasks entrusted to them under this Regulation.

(39)

Public contracts concluded under the Programme for activities financed by the Programme should comply with Union rules. In that context, the Union should also be responsible for defining the objectives to be pursued as regards public procurement.

(40)

The Programme relies on complex and constantly changing technologies. The reliance on such technologies results in uncertainty and risk for public contracts concluded under the Programme, insofar as those contracts involve long-term commitments to equipment or services. Specific measures concerning public contracts are therefore required in addition to the rules laid down in the Financial Regulation. It should thus be possible to impose a minimum level of subcontracting. As regards the latter, priority should be given, where possible, to start-ups and SMEs, particularly in order to enable their cross-border participation.

(41)

In order to meet the objectives of the Programme, it is important to be able to call, where appropriate, on capacities offered by Union public and private entities active in the space domain and also to be able to work at international level with third countries or international organisations. For that reason, it is necessary to provide for the possibility to use all the relevant tools and management methods provided for by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the Financial Regulation and joint procurement procedures.

(42)

Public-private cooperation is the most appropriate scheme by which to ensure that the objectives of the Programme can be pursued. It should permit building upon the existing Union satellite communication technological and industrial base, including private assets, and providing robust and innovative governmental services, and enabling private partners to complement the Programme infrastructure with additional capabilities to offer commercial services on market conditions through additional own investments. Such a scheme should furthermore optimise deployment and operation costs by sharing development and deployment costs on components common to both governmental and commercial infrastructures, as well as operational costs by allowing a high level of capacity mutualisation. It should also stimulate innovation in the European space ecosystem, including New Space, by enabling the sharing of research and development risks between public and private partners.

(43)

For the implementation of the Programme, the concession contracts, supply, service or works contracts or mixed contracts should follow key principles. Such contracts should establish a clear distribution of tasks and responsibilities between the public and private partners, including a clear allocation of risks between them, with a view to ensuring that the contractors assume responsibility for the consequences of any failings for which they are liable. The contracts should ensure that contractors do not receive overcompensation for the provision of governmental services, allow the provision of commercial services to be established by the private sector and ensure an appropriate prioritisation of government-authorised users’ needs. The contracts should ensure that the provision of services based on commercial infrastructure preserves the Union’s essential interests and the Programme’s general and specific objectives. It is therefore important that there are measures in place to ensure that those essential interests and objectives are preserved. In particular, the Commission should be able to take necessary measures to ensure service continuity in the event that the contractor is unable to fulfil its obligations.

The contracts should include adequate safeguards to prevent, inter alia, conflicts of interest and potential distortions of competition stemming from the provision of commercial services, undue discrimination or any other hidden indirect advantages. Such safeguards may include separation of accounts between governmental and commercial services, including the setting up of a structurally and legally separate entity from the vertically integrated operator for the provision of governmental services, as well as open, fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory access to infrastructure necessary for the provision of commercial services. Therefore, commercial services should be available to existing terrestrial services providers under transparent and non-discriminatory conditions. The contracts should foster the participation of start-ups and SMEs along the whole value chain and across Member States.

(44)

An important objective of the Programme is to ensure the security of the Union and of the Member States and to strengthen the resilience across key technologies and value chains while preserving an open economy. In specific cases, that objective requires conditions for eligibility and participation to be set, in order to ensure the protection of the integrity, security and resilience of the operational systems of the Union. That should not undermine the need for competitiveness and cost-effectiveness.

(45)

In accordance with the Financial Regulation, Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (13) and Council Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 (14), (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 (15) and (EU) 2017/1939 (16), the financial interests of the Union are to be protected by means of proportionate measures, including measures relating to the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities including fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, and, where appropriate, the imposition of administrative penalties. In particular, in accordance with Regulations (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 and (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has the power to carry out administrative investigations, including on-the-spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is empowered, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, to investigate and prosecute criminal offences affecting the financial interests of the Union as provided for in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council (17).

In accordance with the Financial Regulation, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the financial interests of the Union, grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the Court of Auditors and, in respect of those Member States participating in enhanced cooperation, the EPPO pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, and ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights.

(46)

In order to ensure the protection of the financial interests of the Union, it is necessary to require third countries to grant the necessary rights and access required for the authorising officer responsible, OLAF and the Court of Auditors to comprehensively exercise their respective competences.

(47)

To optimise the efficiency and impact of the Programme, actions should be taken to promote the use and development of open standards, open source technologies and interoperability in the architecture of the secure connectivity system. A more open conception of that system could enable better synergies with other components of the Union Space Programme or national services and applications, optimise costs by avoiding duplication in the development of the same technology, improve reliability, foster innovation and reap the benefits of wide competition.

(48)

Sound public governance of the Programme requires the clear distribution of responsibilities and tasks among the different actors involved to avoid unnecessary overlap and reduce cost overruns and delays. All the actors of the governance should support, within their field of competence and in accordance with their responsibilities, the achievement of the objectives of the Programme.

(49)

Member States have long been active in the field of space. They have systems, infrastructure, national agencies and bodies in that field. They are therefore able to make a major contribution to the Programme, especially in its implementation. They might cooperate with the Union to promote the Programme’s services and applications and ensure coherence between the relevant national initiatives and the Programme. The Commission might be able to mobilise the means at Member States’ disposal, benefit from their assistance and, subject to mutually agreed conditions, entrust the Member States with tasks in the implementation of the Programme. Where relevant, Member States should aim to ensure coherence and complementarity of their recovery and resilience plans with the Programme. Moreover, the Member States should take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of the ground infrastructure located on their territories. In addition, Member States should be able to ensure that the frequencies necessary for the Programme are available and protected at the adequate level to allow for the full development and implementation of applications on the basis of the services offered, in compliance with Decision No 243/2012/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (18). The frequencies made available to the Programme should have no financial impact on the Programme.

(50)

In accordance with Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and as a promoter of the Union’s general interest, it is the Commission’s responsibility to implement the Programme, assume overall responsibility and promote its use. In order to optimise the resources and competences of the various stakeholders, the Commission should be able to entrust certain tasks to other entities under justifiable circumstances. The Commission should determine the main technical and operational requirements necessary to implement systems and services evolution. It should do so after consulting Member States’ experts, users and other relevant public or private stakeholders. Finally, in accordance with Article 4(3) TFEU, the exercise of competence by the Union does not result in Member States being prevented from exercising their respective competences. However, to make good use of the Union funds, it is appropriate that the Commission ensures, as far as possible, the consistency of activities performed in the context of the Programme, with those of the Member States, without creating any unnecessary duplication of efforts.

(51)

Article 154 of the Financial Regulation provides that, on the basis of the results of an ex-ante assessment, the Commission is to be able to rely on the systems and the procedures of the persons or entities entrusted with the implementation of Union funds. If necessary, specific adjustments to those systems and procedures (supervisory measures), as well as the arrangements for the existing contracts, should be defined in the corresponding contribution agreement.

(52)

Given its worldwide coverage, the Programme has a strong international dimension. International partners, their governments and citizens will be recipients of the Programme’s array of services with accrued benefits to the international cooperation of the Union and the Member States with those partners. For matters relating to the Programme, the Commission might coordinate, within its field of competence and on behalf of the Union, the activities on the international scene.

(53)

Building on the expertise developed in the past years in management, operation and service provision related to the Galileo and EGNOS components of the Union Space Programme, the Agency is the most appropriate body to implement, under the supervision of the Commission, tasks relating to the operation of the governmental infrastructure and provision of governmental services. It should therefore develop further relevant capacities for that purpose. The Agency should then be entrusted with the provision of governmental services and should be able to be entrusted with all or part of the operational management of the governmental infrastructure.

(54)

In relation to security, and given its experience in this area, the Agency should be responsible for ensuring, through its Security Accreditation Board, the security accreditation of the governmental services and infrastructure. Furthermore, subject to the operational readiness of the Agency, notably in terms of adequate levels of human resources, the Agency should perform the tasks entrusted to it by the Commission. Where possible, the Agency should leverage its expertise, for example, throughout the European Global Navigation Satellite System (EGNSS) activities. When entrusting tasks to the Agency, adequate human, administrative and financial resources should be made available to enable the Agency to fully carry out its tasks and missions.

(55)

In order to ensure the operation of the governmental infrastructure and facilitate the provision of the governmental services, the Agency should be allowed to entrust, by means of contribution agreements, specific activities to other entities, within their respective fields of competence, under the conditions of indirect management that apply to the Commission as laid down in the Financial Regulation.

(56)

ESA is an international organisation with extensive expertise in the space domain, including in satellite communication, and is therefore an important partner in the implementation of the different aspects of the Union’s space policy. In that regard, ESA should be able to provide expertise to the Commission, including for the preparation of specifications and implementation of the technical aspects of the Programme. For that purpose, ESA should be entrusted with the supervision of the development and validation activities of the Programme, and support the evaluation of the contracts concluded in the context of the implementation of the Programme.

(57)

Owing to the importance of space-related activities for the Union economy and the lives of Union citizens, achieving and maintaining a high degree of security should be a key priority for the Programme, particularly in order to safeguard the interests of the Union and of the Member States, including in relation to classified and sensitive non-classified information.

(58)

Given the specific expertise of the EEAS and its regular contact with authorities of third countries and international organisations, the EEAS should be able to assist the Commission in performing certain tasks relating to the security of the Programme in the field of external relations, in accordance with Council Decision 2010/427/EU (19).

(59)

Without prejudice to the sole responsibility of the Member States in the area of national security, as provided for in Article 4(2) TEU, and to the right of the Member States to protect their essential security interests in accordance with Article 346 TFEU, a specific governance of security should be established to ensure a smooth implementation of the Programme. That governance should be based on three key principles. Firstly, it is imperative that Member States’ extensive, unique experience in security matters be taken into consideration to the greatest possible extent. Secondly, in order to prevent conflicts of interest and any shortcomings in applying security rules, operational functions should be segregated from security accreditation functions. Thirdly, the entity in charge of managing all or part of the Programme’s infrastructure is also the best suited to manage the security of the tasks entrusted to it. The security of the Programme would build upon the experience gained in the implementation of the Union Space Programme over the past years. Sound security governance also requires that roles be appropriately distributed among the various players. As it is responsible for the Programme, the Commission, without prejudice to Member States’ prerogatives in the area of national security, should determine together with the Member States the general security requirements applicable to the Programme. In particular in the area of classified information, the security governance of the Programme should reflect the respective roles and fields of competence of the Council and the Member States in the evaluation and approval of cryptographic products for protecting EUCI.

(60)

The cybersecurity and physical security of the Programme infrastructure, both ground and space, as well as its physical redundancy, are key to ensuring the continuity of the service and the operations of the system. The need to protect the system and its services against cyberattacks and threats to satellites, including by making use of new technologies, and by supporting response to and recovery from such cyberattacks, should therefore be duly taken into account when establishing general security requirements.

(61)

Where appropriate, after the risk and threat analysis, the Commission should identify a security monitoring structure. That security monitoring structure should be the entity responding to instructions developed under the scope of Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/698 (20).

(62)

Without prejudice to Member States’ prerogatives in the area of national security, the Commission and the High Representative, each within their respective field of competence, should ensure the security of the Programme in accordance with this Regulation and, where relevant, Decision (CFSP) 2021/698.

(63)

The governmental services provided by the Programme will be used by the Union’s governmental actors in security, defence, safety-critical missions and operations, as well as the protection of critical infrastructure. Therefore, such services and infrastructure should be subject to security accreditation.

(64)

It is indispensable that security accreditation activities be carried out on the basis of collective responsibility for the security of the Union and its Member States, by endeavouring to build consensus and involving all those concerned with the issue of security, and that a procedure for permanent risk monitoring be put in place. It is also necessary that technical security accreditation activities are conducted by professionals who are duly qualified in the field of accreditation of complex systems and who have an adequate level of security clearance.

(65)

Under Article 17 TEU, the Commission is responsible for the management of programmes which, in accordance with rules set out in the Financial Regulation, can be sub-delegated to third parties under indirect management. In that context, it is necessary that the Commission ensure that the tasks performed by third parties to implement the Programme under indirect management do not undermine the security of the Programme in particular as regards the control of classified information. It should therefore be clarified that where the Commission entrusts ESA to carry out tasks under the Programme, the corresponding contribution agreements are to ensure that classified information generated by ESA be considered to be EUCI in accordance with Council Decision 2013/488/EU (21) and Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 (22) and created under the authority of the Commission.

(66)

The governmental services of the Programme could be used in security and safety critical missions and operations by Union and Member State actors. Therefore, in order to protect the essential security interests of the Union and its Member States, measures to ensure a necessary level of non-dependence on third parties (third countries and entities from third countries) are needed, covering all Programme elements. Such measures could include space and ground technologies at component, subsystem or system level, manufacturing industries, owners and operators of space systems, and physical location of ground system components.

(67)

On the sole basis of an agreement to be concluded in accordance with Article 218 TFEU, Members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which are members of the European Economic Area (EEA), acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates as well as the European Neighbourhood Policy countries and other third countries may be allowed to participate in the Programme.

(68)

Pursuant to Council Decision (EU) 2021/1764 (23), persons and entities established in overseas countries or territories are eligible for funding subject to the rules and objectives of the Programme and possible arrangements applicable to the Member State to which the relevant overseas country or territory is linked.

(69)

Pursuant to paragraphs 22 and 23 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making (24), the Programme should be evaluated on the basis of information collected in accordance with specific monitoring requirements, while avoiding administrative burden, in particular on Member States, and overregulation. Those requirements, where appropriate, should include measurable indicators as a basis for evaluating the effects of the Programme. The evaluation of the Programme should take into account the findings of the evaluation of the Union Space Programme pertaining to the GOVSATCOM component carried out within the framework of Regulation (EU) 2021/696.

(70)

In order to ensure the continuing adequacy of the indicators to report on the progress of the Programme, as well as the Programme’s monitoring and evaluation framework, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission in respect of amending the Annex to this Regulation with regard to the indicators, of supplementing this Regulation with provisions on the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework and of supplementing this Regulation by specifying the characteristics of a database of the Programme’s space assets, as well as the methodology and the processes to maintain and update it. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.

(71)

In the interests of sound public governance and given the synergies between the Programme and the GOVSATCOM component, the Programme committee established within the framework of Regulation (EU) 2021/696 in the GOVSATCOM configuration should also serve as the committee for the purposes of the Programme. For matters pertaining to the security of the Programme, the Programme committee should meet in a dedicated security configuration.

(72)

As sound public governance requires uniform management of the Programme, faster decision making and equal access to information, representatives of the entities entrusted with tasks related to the Programme might be able to take part as observers in the work of the Programme committee established in application of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (25). For the same reasons, representatives of third countries and international organisations who have concluded an international agreement with the Union, relating to the Programme, might be able to take part in the work of the Programme committee subject to security constraints and as provided for in the terms of such agreement. The representatives of entities entrusted with tasks related to the Programme, third countries and international organisations should not be entitled to take part in the Programme committee voting procedures. The conditions for the participation of observers and ad hoc participants should be laid down in the rules of procedure of the Programme committee.

(73)

In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission relating to the adoption of: the detailed rules on the provision of governmental services, the operational requirements for governmental services, the service portfolio for governmental services, the contribution decisions regarding the contribution agreements and the work programmes, as well as establishing additional requirements for the participation of third countries and international organisations in the Programme. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

(74)

Governmental services that are based on governmental infrastructure should, as a general rule, be provided free of charge to government-authorised users. However, capacity for those services is limited. If, after analysis, the Commission concludes that there is a shortage of capacities, it should be permitted to adopt a pricing policy, in duly justified cases where demand exceeds the access capacity, as part of those detailed rules on the service provision, to match the supply and demand of services. In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers relating to the adoption of such a pricing policy should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

(75)

In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers relating to laying down measures required to determine the location of the centres belonging to the ground governmental infrastructure should be conferred on the Commission. For the selection of such locations, the Commission should be able to take into account the operational and security requirements, as well as the existing infrastructure. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

(76)

In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers relating to determining general security requirements should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. Member States should be able to exert a maximum of control over the Programme’s general security requirements. When adopting implementing acts in the area of security of the Programme, the Commission should be assisted by the Programme committee, meeting in a dedicated security configuration. In view of the sensitivity of security matters, the chair of the Programme committee should endeavour to find solutions which command the widest possible support within the Programme committee. The Commission should not adopt implementing acts determining the general security requirements of the Programme in cases where no opinion is delivered by the Programme committee. Where the involvement of the security configuration of the Programme committee is otherwise provided for, such involvement should take place in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Programme committee.

(77)

The Programme complements the existing Union Space Programme by integrating and extending its objectives and actions to create a secure and space-based connectivity system for the Union. The evaluation of the Programme should take this into account.

(78)

Since the objectives of this Regulation cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, but can rather, by reason of the scale and effects of the action that go beyond the financial and technical capacities of any single Member State, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 TEU. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.

(79)

The Programme should be established for a period of five years to align its duration with that of the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 laid down in Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 (26) (‘MFF 2021-2027’).

(80)

In order to allow for the implementation of this Regulation to start as soon as possible, with a view to reaching its objectives, it should enter into force as a matter of urgency,