Credit: European Spaceflight / Arianespace / ESA
The US State Department has issued a formal response to the European Union’s proposed EU Space Act, warning that it would impose “unacceptable regulatory burdens” on US companies and could jeopardise future cooperation in a number of areas.
On 25 June 2025, the European Commission unveiled its draft proposal for the EU Space Act, a regulatory framework designed to harmonise Europe’s space industry rules and boost competitiveness. The Act centres on three key pillars: safety (tracking space objects and reducing debris), resilience (strengthening cybersecurity and continuity of space services), and sustainability (cutting environmental impact and simplifying market access).
The US State Department’s Comments of the United States of America on the Proposed EU Space Act document was released on 4 November 2025 in response to the European Commission’s request for public feedback on its draft EU Space Act. The document was prepared jointly by the Departments of State and Commerce and consolidates the input of more than 70 US space companies and trade associations that have a commercial interest in the European market.
While the US Government’s response is detailed in its criticisms and suggestions, much of it centres around the addition of new regulatory requirements, particularly in the area of environmental protection, which it warns would “drive up costs.” The response also criticises provisions perceived to favour European operators, describing such measures as “unfair and unwarranted.”
In this criticism, the US appears to make a thinly veiled case for SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, noting that the proposed rules unduly target “large telecommunications satellite constellations” due solely to their “size, prominence, and successful track record.” Starlink appears to be referenced again in the section addressing proposed satellite regulations that would limit the visual brightness of spacecraft, a criticism the company has previously faced as it continues to expand its constellation. The response argues that such a regulation would be “impossible” to implement and would “disproportionately affect US companies [that] operate at lower altitudes.”
The document also appears to strike a somewhat contradictory tone by first asserting that “space operations are still relatively new and novel, and as such, are not yet ripe for strict regulation,” before emphasising that the United States has, under its own regulatory framework, become the world’s leading authority on space launch and re-entry, with more than 1,000 FAA-licensed launches and the delivery of tens of billions of dollars’ worth of European satellites and space objects over the past 50 years. The submission, therefore, requests that the Act recognise US licensing and avoid “burdensome” duplication.
In its recommendations, the US response emphasises alignment with existing international standards, recognition of US licensing frameworks, and avoidance of measures that could fragment transatlantic collaboration or limit market access for American space companies.
The draft EU Space Act is currently undergoing review following the close of the public consultation period. The European Commission will now assess these responses and may revise the proposal before presenting a final version to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for potential adoption.
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