Group photo with the course participants
Challenges of Space for the EU and CSDP Course, Rome, 23-26 October 2023
The European Security and Defence College (ESDC) had the honour of co-organising, together with the Italian Centre for Higher Defence Studies (CASD), the course entitled ‘Challenges of Space for the EU and CSDP’.
The course was successfully held in Rome, Italy, from 23 to 26 October 2023. The aim of the course was to raise awareness of the importance of space activities in the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the European Union.
After the welcome remarks from LtGen Carmine Masiello, the Deputy Chief of Defence of the Italian General Staff, the Special Envoy for Space and Head of the EEAS SECDEFPOL 5 – Space, Ms Carine Claeys gave the course opening speech on the EU space legacy.
The second day focused on the geopolitics of space, the EU space strategy for security and defence, EU space policy and its initiatives and actors, space surveillance and tracking, and civil protection.
The third day reviewed the role and functions of the EU satellite centre and the challenges to space security, and included a field visit to the Italian System for Secure Communications and Alerts (SICRAL).
On the fourth and last day, the focus was on national space structures and their specificities, as well as on the relation between hybrid threats and space.
We would like to thank all the keynote speakers for their excellent contributions and input, and the very high quality of their speeches and lectures.
We would also like to thank all 29 participants for their confidence in the ESDC. We will do our utmost to continue providing high-quality training.
