Space governance: France in multilateral negotiations Outer space is the only common space that is unregulated in today’s world. A number of common rules on safety, security and operations that States can apply to the benefit of scientific institutions and companies need to be established to develop its scientific and economic potential for the benefit of all. United Nations Space Published on : June 29th 2026 Updated on : August 19th 2026 Jonathan Sarago/MEAE Dans cette rubrique Priorities and action The Ministry in action Action for peace and respect for human rights Promoting a sovereign Europe Promoting French businesses and France’s attractiveness Ensuring the presence of French culture Contributing to sustainable, balanced globalization Major issues International Space Summit France's 2026 G7 Presidency France’s diplomatic action in Ukraine French humanitarian action in the Palestinian Territories Contents The United Nations and space security Regulation of satellites in outer space France is invested in all multilateral bodies dealing with spatial issues. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs plays a major role in international negotiations on the regulation of space activities involving the European Union, European Space Agency and the United Nations. At the United Nations, France is contributing to efforts to support the structuring of a multilateral governance and coordination framework for space activities. The United Nations and space security Three main UN bodies deal with space issues, namely the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in Vienna, the Conference on Disarmament and UN General Assembly working groups, in addition to the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva. Committee on the Peaceful uses of Outer Space In the 1960s, within COPUOS, the major foundations for international space law were drafted, particularly the five UN treaties on outer space, as well as sets of principles adopted by the General Assembly and the resolutions specifying the implementation of this law. COPUOS and its two Subcommittees (Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee) examine such topics as space traffic, debris management, the use of nuclear power in space and lunar activities. The Foreign Ministry coordinates French and European positions in multilateral bodies, including regarding the compatibility of programme aspects of missions carried out within the European framework (European Union, European Space Agency) with international space law, as well as regulation for safer, more secure and viable activities over the long term, in line with the major lines of the National Space Strategy of November 2025. In June 2019, COPUOS set out a first set of 21 Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. This was after the long-term sustainability of outer space activities was included on the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee’s agenda in 2010 upon France’s instigation. These guidelines address today’s challenges posed by the growing congestion of Earth orbits. During the 68th session of COPUOS in 2025, its Member States officially created an Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness. Co-chaired by the United Arab Emirates, its first objective is to create a list of points of contact for satellite operators to ensure swift coordination in the event of a collision in orbit, which would have major repercussions. The Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation (ATLAC), established during the 67th session of COPUOUS in 2024, is working on establishing international principles and mechanisms in connection with lunar activities amid an acceleration of lunar programmes. France also actively supports the Group of Friends of the Dark and Quiet Sky for Science and Society laying down lines for operators’ behaviour so as to reduce satellites’ interference with astronomical observations. The Conference on Disarmament The Foreign Ministry, in coordination with the Ministry for the Armed Forces, takes an active part in French discussions on these topics on the UN agenda on the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS). France is working to preserve the existing legal framework and encourages its strengthening, starting with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, while ensuring our autonomous access to space and the ability to operate and act there freely, in a worsened strategic environment. It promotes responsible use of space, the adoption of new transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities and encourages the adoption of new responsible norms of behaviour to increase safety and security in space. World Radiocommunications Conference The Ministry is also active in interministerial consultations establishing French positions at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), within which space issues are central. The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), which is held every three or four years, decides on the allotment and use of radio frequencies and satellite orbits in the world. The next WRC will be held in Shanghai in the autumn of 2027. The development of space technologies, particularly space launch vehicles (the advent of reusable launch vehicles and the use of low orbits), as well as the growing dependence of human activities on connectivity capacities, have resulted in a massive increase in the population of satellites in orbit. Mainly enabled by a non-state actor (the US company SpaceX), the resulting congestion of low Earth orbits calls for an increase in coordination between States and operators to avoid potential collisions and harmful interference. This is the direction of France’s engagement in international bodies to develop long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Regulation of satellites in outer space The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the DGE of the Ministry for the Economy and Finance, defines French positions for meetings of the international satellite organizations EUTELSAT IGO and ITSO. EUTELSAT IGO EUTELSAT IGO (originally established as the European Telecommunications Satellite Organization, EUTELSAT) monitors the operations of the company Eutelstat SA to ensure its observance of the Basic Principles set out in the Amended Convention, which entered into force on 28 November 2002. EUTELSAT IGO also monitors the maintenance of the rights over the frequencies and orbital positions obtained from the ITU, made available to the operator Eutelstat SA when the organization was privatized. Eutelstat SA, whose headquarters are in France, is a long-standing operator of geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites and Starlink’s only competitor in the low Earth orbit (LEO) telecommunications segment, owing to its OneWeb constellation. The company has a fleet of 34 satellites deployed in GEO and more than 600 satellites in LEO. Eutelstat provides broad satellite coverage to 150 countries, which makes it one of the largest operators in the world. France is a shareholder of Eutelstat SA, increasing its stake to 30% in 2025. The Foreign Ministry holds a seat on the EUTELSAT IGO Assembly of Parties and Advisory Committee, which reviews all the issues that could affect the running of Eutelstat SA and, therefore, its ability to adhere to the Basic Principles. ITSO The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO, which was originally established as INTELSAT) is responsible for monitoring the observance by the company Intelstat Ltd of its public service obligations with respect to international telecommunications. In July 2025, SES acquired the company, Intelstat Ltd. Intelstat Ltd has now become part of SES, with a fleet of more than 120 GEO and MEO satellites. Following Intelstat’s privatisation in 2001, France, supported by many ITSO Member States, focused on the adherence of Notifying Authorities (United States and United Kingdom) to the Basic Principles regarding the management of orbital positions, resources and frequency assignments that constitute the common heritage of the Parties (149 States). France, via its National Frequency Agency and Foreign Ministry, defends the integrity of orbital positions that INTELSAT is required to continue to make available to its Member States. Cospas-Sarsat France is one of four States Parties, with the United States, Canada and the former USSR (later replaced by Russia), to have signed the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme Agreement, on 1 July 1988. Cospas-Sarsat provides an international satellite-based system for search and rescue. With 1,200,000 distress beacons (406 Mhz), including more than 23,000 units registered in France, the system has helped rescue nearly 40,000 people since its creation. The Foreign Ministry participates in the national steering committee overseeing French coordination for the Cospas-Sarsat programme. It contributes on topics related to cooperation between international organizations (EUMETSAT, ICAO, IMO, ITU).