The creation of the European Centre for Space Economy and Commerce (ECSECO) was announced by ESA DG Josef Aschbacher. The ECSECO aims to serve as a European forum for interdisciplinary discussions and research on space economy and commerce.
The ECSECO will offer a platform for professionals active in the field of space economy and commerce, interested in the European space sector growth and development. Interdisciplinarity is crucial for the mission of the Centre. Consequently, the ECSECO will connect individuals with diverse backgrounds: inter alia, economists, scientists, lawyers and engineers from the private sector, academia, international organisations and public institutions. The Centre will organise some of the following:
- Conferences & workshops
- Networking sessions
- Competitions for students
- Summer schools
- Working groups
- Collaborative research
The set-up of the ECSECO will be similar to the organisation and activities of the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL), which fosters networking, discussion and activities related to space law. The European Space Policy institute (ESPI) will host the Secretariat of the ECSECO at its premises in Vienna, Austria.
A launch event will be organised on 4 July 2022 to officially kick-off the activities of the Centre. Please follow the news on this website for more information. If you wish to receive an email notification about the event, please send an email to: ecseco@esa.int.
According to its Charter, membership to the Centre is open to natural persons from ESA Member States, Associate States, and other European States having concluded a cooperation Agreement with ESA who have a proven and active interest in space commerce and economy. If you want to become an ECSECO member, please express your interest through an email to: ecseco@esa.int.