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On the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway laying down the rules for participation of the Kingdom of Norway in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme

Full title

On the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway laying down the rules for participation of the Kingdom of Norway in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme

Report A-10-2026-0208 · 05367/2026 – C100098/2026 – 2025/0352(NLE)

Kind
Plenary report A-10-2026-0208
Date
16 July 2026
Committee
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Rapporteur
Paolo Borchia
Dossier
2025/0352(NLE)
More facts (4)
Voted
  • 16 Sept 2026 Consent given 612 for, 8 against, 16 abstained
Formats
Official page PDF Word
Subject matter
EXT, TELE
Reference
05367/2026 – C100098/2026 – 2025/0352(NLE)
More
Cite this page Official page (opens the official site)
Link to this page

In short

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AI: In short Written by AI from the official text — check the source · deepseek-flash · 16 Sept 2026

Parliament's committee report asks Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of an agreement between the European Union and Norway on Norway's participation in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme. The agreement covers Norway's access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme. The rapporteur states that the agreements keep exclusive EU ownership of assets, give partner countries no decision-making authority or veto rights, and require compliance with EU security standards under national supervision. The rapporteur says the agreements cost the Union budget nothing and generate assigned revenue, with Norway financing its participation through GDP-based contributions, including a retroactive contribution for costs since 2021 under the Space Programme and since 2023 for secure connectivity. The rapporteur recommends a favourable opinion, citing secure communications for governments and security services and support for commercial broadband connectivity.

Position. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy recommends a favourable opinion on the conclusion of the agreements, and the rapporteur stresses compliance with Article 218(10) TFEU on informing Parliament at every stage.

Key points

  1. Parliament gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement between the European Union and Norway.
  2. The agreement sets the rules for Norway's participation in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme.
  3. It also covers Norway's access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme.
  4. The rapporteur describes GOVSATCOM as providing secure, resilient and protected satellite communications for authorised governmental users and critical infrastructures.
  5. The rapporteur states that IRIS² sets targets for a European satellite constellation providing ultra-fast, secure and low-latency access to communication and internet services by 2027.
  6. The rapporteur notes that Iceland and Norway are long-standing partners in the space sector and that their involvement as users and through satellite capacities, ground segment facilities and technical infrastructure extends secure communications beyond the Union's borders.
  7. The rapporteur states that the partner countries' location close to the Arctic gives secure connectivity particular importance for sectors such as telecommunications and transport.
  8. The rapporteur states that the European Union retains exclusive ownership of all tangible and intangible assets linked to the infrastructures developed.
  9. The rapporteur states that the partner countries acquire neither decision-making authority nor veto rights over the management and future development of the programmes.
  10. The rapporteur states that access to the services depends on compliance with the EU's security standards and on supervision by designated competent national authorities.
  11. The rapporteur states that the agreements entail no expenditure for the Union budget and generate assigned revenue, with Norway financing its participation through GDP-based contributions, including a retroactive contribution for costs incurred since 2021 under the Space Programme and since 2023 for secure connectivity.
  12. The rapporteur stresses compliance with Article 218(10) TFEU, which guarantees that Parliament is fully and promptly informed at every stage of the procedure, and recommends a favourable opinion on the conclusion of the agreements.

Who is affected

  • Norway: participates in GOVSATCOM and the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, with access to services and no decision-making authority or veto rights.
  • The European Union: keeps exclusive ownership of assets linked to the infrastructures developed and receives assigned revenue.
  • Authorised governmental users and critical infrastructures: receive secure, resilient and protected satellite communications under GOVSATCOM.
  • Telecommunications and transport sectors: gain importance from secure connectivity given the partner countries' location close to the Arctic.

Figures and deadlines

  • 2027: target year for the European satellite constellation to provide ultra-fast, secure and low-latency access to communication and internet services.
  • 2021: start of costs effectively incurred by the Union under the Space Programme covered by the retroactive contribution.
  • 2023: start of costs for secure connectivity covered by the retroactive contribution.

Legal basis. Article 186 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

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Draft european parliament legislative resolution

(05367/2026 – C10-0098/2026 – 2025/0352(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the draft Council decision (05367/2026),

–having regard to Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway laying down the rules for participation of the Kingdom of Norway in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme (05371/2026),

–having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 186 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C10-0098/2026),

–having regard to Rule 107(1) and (4), and Rule 117(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0208/2026),

1.Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement.

2.Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Kingdom of Norway.

Back matter, 2

Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.

Explanatory statement 9 blocks

GOVSATCOM and IRIS² represent the European Union’s response to the growing need to ensure reliable communications in a context marked by persistent connectivity gaps and an increasing number of cyber threats.

While GOVSATCOM provides secure, resilient and protected satellite communications for authorised governmental users and critical infrastructures, IRIS² sets out the targets for the development of a European satellite constellation designed to provide ultra-fast, secure and low-latency access to communication and internet services by 2027.

Withing this framework, the international agreements concerning the participation of Norway (2025/0352(NLE)) and Iceland (2025/0351(NLE)) in GOVSATCOM and IRIS² are of significant interest to the European Union.

As a matter of fact, Iceland and Norway have long been close and trusted partners of the Union in the space sector. Consequently, their formal involvement - both as users and through the provision of satellite capacities, ground segment facilities and technical infrastructure - extends the use of secure communications beyond the Union’s borders, thereby strengthening its global role and fostering international cooperation.

Moreover, their strategic geographical location close to the Arctic region gives secure connectivity particular importance for key economic sectors such as telecommunications and transport.

At the same time, the legal framework governing these agreements safeguards the Union’s interests by explicitly providing that the European Union retains exclusive ownership of all tangible and intangible assets associated with the infrastructures developed, while the partner countries acquire neither decision-making authority nor veto rights over the management and future development of the programmes. Furthermore, access to the services is subject to compliance with the EU’s strict security standards and to supervision by specifically designated competent national authorities.

From a financial perspective, the agreements do not entail any expenditure for the Union budget; instead, they generate assigned revenue. Iceland and Norway will finance their participation through financial contributions calculated on the basis of their respective GDP, including a retroactive contribution covering the costs effectively incurred by the Union since 2021 under the Space Programme and since 2023 for secure connectivity.

Despite the predominantly technical nature of these dossiers, the rapporteur emphasises the importance of compliance with Article 218(10) TFEU, which guarantees that Parliament is fully and promptly informed at every stage of the procedure. This principle is considered an essential condition for assessing the impact of strategic partnerships on the European industrial base and on the effective use of public resources in terms of innovation and competitiveness.

Without prejudice to the necessary institutional considerations, and in view of the technical, geopolitical and economic benefits arising from the extension of these programmes to two reliable partners within the European Economic Area, the rapporteur recommends a favourable opinion on the conclusion of the agreements. Such a measure will strengthen the capacity to provide secure communications for governments and security services while also fostering the development of commercial broadband connectivity, thereby contributing to bridging the digital divide and ensuring improved coverage in remote and strategically significant areas.

Annex: declaration of input 1 block

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[1], or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

Procedure pages and committee votes

How the committees handled the text and how their members voted on it. Collapsed.

Procedure – committee responsible 1 block
Table from the text: Title
TitleLaying down the rules for participation of the Kingdom of Norway in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme
References05367/2026 – C10-0098/2026 – 2025/0352(NLE)
Date of consultation or request for consent17.4.2026
Committee(s) responsible Date announced in plenaryITRE 18.5.2026
Committees asked for opinions Date announced in plenaryBUDG 18.5.2026
Not delivering opinions Date of decisionBUDG 11.12.2025
Rapporteurs Date appointedPaolo Borchia 20.5.2026
Discussed in committee3.6.2026
Date adopted14.7.2026
Result of final vote+: –: 0:80 0 3
Date tabled16.7.2026
Final vote by roll call by the committee responsible 3 blocks

80 · For

ECR
Alessandro Ciriani, Ondřej Krutílek, Daniel Obajtek, Diego Solier, Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza, Beata Szydło, Francesco Torselli, Kris Van Dijck, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Anna Zalewska
ESN
Markus Buchheit, Siegbert Frank Droese, Marcin Sypniewski
EPP
Wouter Beke, Hildegard Bentele, Alexander Bernhuber, Borys Budka, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Christian Ehler, Jan Farský, Niels Flemming Hansen, Krzysztof Hetman, Seán Kelly, Willemien Koning, Fernando Navarrete Rojas, Angelika Niebler, Andrey Novakov, Mirosława Nykiel, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Jüri Ratas, Aura Salla, Paulius Saudargas, Matej Tonin, Dimitris Tsiodras, Marion Walsmann, Andrea Wechsler, Angelika Winzig
Patriots
Majbritt Birkholm, Barbara Bonte, Paolo Borchia, Jaroslav Bžoch, András Gyürk, Ondřej Knotek, Sebastian Kruis, Jana Nagyová, Aleksandar Nikolic, Julie Rechagneux, Auke Zijlstra
Renew
João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Christophe Grudler, Martin Hojsík, Morten Løkkegaard, Ana Vasconcelos, Yvan Verougstraete, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik
S&D
Annalisa Corrado, Sofie Eriksson, Niels Fuglsang, Lina Gálvez, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Eero Heinäluoma, Dan Nica, Tsvetelina Penkova, Elena Sancho Murillo, Bruno Tobback, Nicola Zingaretti
The Left
Per Clausen, Jussi Saramo, Dario Tamburrano
Greens
Michael Bloss, Alexandra Geese, Isabella Lövin, Sara Matthieu, Ville Niinistö, Jutta Paulus, Villy Søvndal

0 · Against

3 · Abstained

No group
Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă
The Left
Marc Botenga, Rudi Kennes

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Sources & citation

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Permalink
https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0208
Official source
Data source
Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Retrieved
25 September 2026

Cite as

European Parliament (2026). “RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway laying down the rules for participation of the Kingdom of Norway in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme”. Text, 16 September 2026. docId A-10-2026-0208, reference A10-0208/2026, procId 2025-0352. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0208 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Official source: The text on the European Parliament’s website, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2026-0208_EN.html. Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/A-10-2026-0208 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX 
@misc{epw-text-a-10-2026-0208,
  author = {{European Parliament}},
  title = {{RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway laying down the rules for participation of the Kingdom of Norway in the GOVSATCOM component of the Union Space Programme and in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, and for access to GOVSATCOM services and to the governmental services of the Union Secure Connectivity Programme}},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-16},
  howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0208}},
  url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/A-10-2026-0208},
  urldate = {2026-09-25},
  publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
  note = {Text. docId A-10-2026-0208, reference A10-0208/2026, procId 2025-0352. Official source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-10-2026-0208\_EN.html. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}