On Feb. 15, 2022, the EU and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy jointly issued the JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL—An EU Approach for Space Traffic Management/An EU Contribution Addressing a Global Challenge. As the first EU approach on STM, its significance for the EU can be compared to its US counterpart the National Space Traffic Management Policy for the Trump Administration. The EU’s high attention to and all member countries’ resolution on STM make EU the major power in the global STM affairs. The Joint Communication answered the questions of “what, why and how” about the EU STM approach whose core content is the four avenues and ten actions. The difference between the EU approach on space traffic management and the US approach on space traffic coordination indicates different ways and potential conflict in the space traffic domain. The EU STM approach is full of compromises. While favoring a multilateral STM approach in the framework of the UN and promoting a regional approach on STM, the EU also wants to play a major role in the future establishment of a global STM system. While insisting on its strategic autonomy, the EU also gives priority to cooperation with the US and relies on US data. While maintaining a civilian STM under civilian control, the EU STM approach also highlights the specific needs of defense and security. The EU STM approach is multilayered, with STM-related activities primarily led at national level, while the EU leadership above is quite weak and the participation of the lower level of space industry is very limited. This approach hopefully will turn the EU STM “olive” structure into a cylinder shape in the future. The EU approach on STM will play a positive role in the safe, sustainable use of space by all countries.
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