European lawmakers have reached a preliminary agreement on the EU Space Act, a first step towards the first common regulatory framework for satellite operations across the European Union. The agreement was announced on 4 November 2026 by French MEP Christophe Grudler, and was reported on 6 November.

The proposed legislation would introduce shared rules governing satellite authorisation, orbital safety, sustainability and resilience. At present, companies face fragmented national rules in different member states. The Space Act is intended to replace that patchwork with a more coordinated European framework, covering the safety, resilience and environmental footprint of space activities in the EU.

What the agreement covers

The framework would set common requirements for authorising satellite operations and for managing the risks that come with a crowded orbit, including collision avoidance and the long-term sustainability of space activity. It would apply to operators providing satellite services in the EU, which means it could have major eventual implications for large non-European providers. Advanced Television reports that companies including SpaceX would need to comply with the applicable European requirements when providing satellite services in the EU, and that observers see the draft as preparing the way for alternative satellite operators alongside regulatory oversight of players such as SpaceX and Starlink.

Grudler acknowledged one significant omission from the preliminary deal. His preferred option, a single EU-wide authorisation procedure that would let an operator seek one approval for the whole bloc, was not included in the agreement reached by negotiators.

What happens next

The agreement remains preliminary. The European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, known as ITRE, is scheduled to vote on the text on 19 November 2026. Negotiations in the committee have been under way since March 2026, following the European Commission's original proposal of 25 June 2025.

The Council of the EU is working on the file in parallel. The Irish presidency of the Council published a revised compromise text in late October 2026, and a Council working party is due to examine the Space Act again on 11 November. If the Parliament committee and the Council each adopt a position, trilogue negotiations between the two institutions and the Commission could begin in December 2026.

Until a final regulation is adopted and published, the Act is not in force. Authorisation, insurance and launch-site rules therefore continue to run through member-state frameworks, and no fixed enforcement dates apply under the proposal as it stands.

Why it matters

The number of satellites in orbit has grown sharply, and with it the risk of collisions and the volume of debris. A single set of European rules would give operators legal certainty about what is expected of them, and would give regulators a common basis for holding them to account. For Europe, the Act is also part of a wider push to protect critical infrastructure and supply chains, a theme the European Parliament is due to debate in its plenary session in the week of 9 November 2026. The Space Act will only become law after the Parliament and the Council agree a final text, but the preliminary agreement moves it a step closer. Table.Briefings reports that the committee vote on 19 November is the next milestone.