This paper aims to
connect innovation procurement (IP) in Europe, particularly in relation to
mission-oriented innovation and the Sustainable Development Goals, with an
analysis of the space sector, especially in view of the direction recently
taken by the European Union (EU), the interactions between public and private
actors, new competitive dynamics, and economic planning in this field.
The analysis begins by
introducing the new EU space programme and examining the principles that
underpin it, with particular attention to the available financial instruments.
It will then present critical analyses on two fronts. On the one hand, it will
argue that the space sector serves as a prime testing ground for IP. Public
sector-driven innovation is expected to have a considerable impact on the
growth and development of the European economy. On the other hand, it will
offer some critical remarks concerning the inherently ‘innovative’ role of
public procurement in shaping the future of European space policies, given the
latest market and geopolitical dynamics. The paper will conclude with an
examination of concrete cases: the development of the IRIS2 infrastructure and
a procurement case-law involving the new EU Agency for the Space Programme
(EUSPA).