Mitrokhina, A.H. Evolution of development of the European space policy (legal aspects)

Abstract: The goal of the article is to describe historical legal aspects of development of the European space policy. The historical legal aspect of the European space policy includes four stages of development: 1) 1950s – 1964 when the national space programs of the Western European states were formed; 2) 1964- 2003 when the unified European bodies for the space purposes were formed; 3) 2003-2007 when the relations between the European Union and the European Space Agency; 4) 2007 till current period, when the “new European space policy “was formed within the framework of the Lisbon treaty. It should be noted that the Lisbon treaty played a key role in the development of the European space policy, distinguishing it as a separate sphere. The persistent characteristic feature of the European space policy is its direction at the civilian aspects of studies and use of space, and it is only in the late years, when the European space policy started directing more attention towards the guarantees of international and regional security. In the last sixty years there was a colossal development of the European space policy: from the development of space activities at the national level in the Western European states to the formation of the European organization with the special competence in the sphere of study and use of space, which currently holds leading positions in the world, and the ESA has a goal to become an EU agency in the future.

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