The regulation of space. On Thursday, the Italian Council of Ministers approved a pivotal law addressing space activities and the space economy, marking a crucial development in Italy’s regulatory framework.
- This new legislation, subject to further revisions, aims to provide structure and guidance in a rapidly evolving sector with significant economic potential.
- The bill aims to highlight the importance of filling a critical gap, aligning Italy with international standards and supporting the nation’s ambitions in space.
Italy’s space governance. The bill primarily targets regulating private sector access to space, ensuring that foreign entities operating from Italy and Italian entities operating abroad obtain the necessary authorisation.
- Exceptions apply to other nations’ activities that are already authorised and recognised under international treaties, streamlining international cooperation.
- The Italian Space Agency (ASI) is designated as the regulatory authority responsible for monitoring compliance and maintaining a registry of space objects, of which Italy is the launching state. The ASI’s oversight includes revoking authorisations in cases of non-compliance.
The blueprint. Central to the legislation is creating a National Space Economy Plan with a five-year horizon.
- This plan will assess sector needs and identify potential investments, drawing on public and private funding sources.
- A multi-year Space Economy Fund has been established to support the market’s growth for space-based innovations, which will leverage investments in infrastructure and projects, including those under international collaborations.
Furthermore, the law… mandates insurance coverage for space activities, requiring operators to secure policies with up to 100 million euros per incident.
- This measure ensures financial protection against damages arising from space operations, with allowances for lower coverage in lower-risk scenarios.
The satellite spectrum. Additionally, the legislation outlines the efficient use of the satellite communication spectrum and establishes principles for exploiting state and EU-funded space infrastructure.
- This promotes fair access and competitive practices among private entities.
