EUs uppförandekod för rymden

Since 2007, the EU has been working to develop a proposal for a code of conduct for space activities. The first ideas were circulated in the spring and summer of 2007. In the autumn of 2007, the process was formalized in that a subgroup of the EU working group CODUN was formed to specifically discuss the Code of Conduct. The sub-group is commonly known as CODUN Space or CODUN Space Expert Meeting. It held regular meetings between December 2007 and June 2010. All European countries were invited to participate in CODUN Space and many have also participated at some point. The German, Portuguese, Slovenian and French Presidencies 2007-2008 focused on producing a draft text of a Code of Conduct which was then approved by the Council in December 2008. This text formed the basis for consultations with non-EU countries during the Czech presidency in spring of 2009. The Swedish Presidency in autumn of 2009 prepared, on the basis of results from the consultations, a description of what it takes to implement the code. In 2010, the Spanish presidency reformulated the code and a new version was adopted by the Council in September 2010. This new version will be the basis for new consultations. The intention is to formulate a text that is acceptable to as many nations as possible. Once this is reached, a diplomatic ad hoc conference will be organized in which nations can subscribe to the code.