ESA/ECSL Practitioners' Forum
The ECSL has been organising a Practitioners' Forum every year since 1992. The aim of the Forum is to provide those working across all areas of the space sector an opportunity to network and discuss topical areas of space law and policy relevant to the sector.
During the forum experts present the latest developments impacting on space, for example: EU law, contracts/procurement law, telecommunications, liability and insurance, etc. The presentations are followed by a Q&A and discussion session.
The forum promotes open and free discourse. Participants speak in their personal capacity under the Chatham House Rules (no publication of comments made which enable their maker to be identified) and in general, papers, presentations or statements are not collected or published.
The 2023 Practitioners' Forum:
The last Practitioners' Forum took place on 17 October 2023, from 11:30 to 13:00 CEST, in a hybrid format (online and at ESA ESTEC). It addressed the topic “tackling emerging problems in the space sector: the domino effect of non-legally binding instruments.” The panel discussion focused on the legal and regulatory effects of non-legally binding initiatives, using the Zero Debris Charter as an example, and served as an interactive, high-level discussion opportunity for ECSL members.
The 2023 Practitioners' Forum was held on the margins of the Clean Space Industry Days at ESA ESTEC, which took place from 16 to 20 October. To attend the event, participants had to make their own arrangements if they wished to take part in the Clean Space Industry Days as well.
The Clean Space Industry Days was a five-day event comprising multiple workshops, splinter sessions, and panel discussions dedicated to space professionals and enthusiasts working on designing and building sustainable space missions. Furthermore, the CSID explored ways to consolidate ESA’s Zero Debris approach.
ESA had been encouraged by its Member States to implement “a Zero Debris approach for its missions and to encourage partners and other actors to pursue similar paths.” In this regard, ESA updated its internal space debris mitigation standards, which had a wide effect on many key stakeholders. ESA’s Director General, Josef Aschbacher, highlighted ESA’s perspective at the time, stating: “We are calling upon all stakeholders from across the European space ecosystem, including new space actors, to display a strong commitment towards achieving global leadership in space debris mitigation and remediation, through the Zero Debris Charter initiative.”
Examples of Previous Practitioners’ Forum themes:
19 September 2022: the role of law and policy in fostering a sustainable space sector (IAC, Paris, France)
14 October 2021: Future Satellite Applications: legal and regulatory aspects (online)
25 April 2019: The Moon Village Concept: Practical, Business and Legal Challenges (ESA ESTEC, Netherlands)
23 March 2018: Cyber Issues in Space: Legal Tools (ESA HQ, Paris)
17 March 2017: The Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Mega-Constellations (ESA HQ, Paris)
18 March 2016: Exploitation of Natural Resources in Outer Space (ESA HQ, Paris)
27 March 2015: Space Governance in Europe: Regulation of Space Activities (ESA HQ, Paris)
14 March 2014: Recent Developments in Export Control Regulations on Space Technology (ESA HQ, Paris)
15 March 2013: The Registration of Satellites –Legal Aspects and Practice (ESA HQ, Paris)
16 March 2012: Insurance of Satellite Activities from the Cradle to the Grave – Legal Aspects (ESA HQ, Paris)
18 March 2011: Manned Spaceflight Safety Issues: Legal & Policy Aspects (ESA HQ, Paris)
19 March 2010: Galileo: Current Legal Issues (ESA HQ, Paris)
15 December 2008: National space legislation in Europe - Issues of authorisation in the light of developments in European space cooperation (ESA HQ, Paris)
27 April 2007: Recent developments within the European space industry: legal aspects (ESA HQ, Paris)
17 March 2006: Space Tourism – Legal and Policy Aspects (ESA HQ, Paris)
4 March 2005: New Developments in the Field of (Satellite) Telecommunications (ESA HQ, Paris)
12 March 2004: New Issues in Earth Observation and Data Policy (ESA HQ, Paris)
