The European commission has recently launched a call for evidence, inviting researchers, industry leaders and innovators to share their insights and collaborate to shape the future European strategy for research and technology infrastructure. This initiative represents a valuable opportunity also for the space sector, which is increasingly vital to Europe’s technological sovereignty and industrial competitiveness. 

The strategy focuses on two main pillars: the research infrastructure and technology infrastructure both of which are seen as essential to driving scientific excellence, fostering groundbreaking innovation, and reinforcing Europe’s leadership. Space-related projects are uniquely positioned to contribute to the strategy’s core objectives, including: 

As highlighted by numerous reports, including the Draghi report on EU competitiveness, the EU needs a substantial boost in competitiveness. This is particularly the case in a moving and shaking global economy, where Europe needs a clear roadmap for its economic future. In the coming years, to maintain the competitiveness of Europe, the Commission will invest more and more resources in research and innovation, recognizing the contribution of both to securing and improving Europe’s position in research, innovation, and industrial ecosystems. This is particularly evident by the vision of the forthcoming European Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures and space projects, with their high-impact potential and strong R&D components, should be central to these future investments. 

However, some challenges persist, such as isolation, regional disparities, budgetary constraint and global uncertainty increasingly limiting development, operation, and accessibility. The new strategy aims to address this by enhancing their complementarity and service offering, while promoting coordinated and prioritized investments to boost capacity and reduce risks and costs. 

This call for evidence is a concrete opportunity for stakeholders in the space domain to influence long-term European policy and ensure space is fully embedded in Europe’s innovation roadmap.  

The call for evidence is open until 22 May 2025 and it is available in all official EU languages. It is a concrete opportunity to help shape a long-term European strategy with significant impact on the EU innovation ecosystem. 

To participate or learn more: