The government has issued the first framework bill that regulates activities in a key sector. With dedicated funds. And a special focus on private investments
It thundered and it rained. Italy will have a law on Space: many new rules and some doubts to clarify. Habemus legem, or almost. The first Italian framework law on Space – which will have a multi-year fund of 150 million euros – was announced by the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, by the summer and now the Council of Ministers on June 20 approved a bill of 31 articles, which, in the intentions of the Mimit, places Italy at the forefront among the major global players. And which is now heading to the Chambers for approval.
But let’s go step by step, since from many fronts there has been talk of an elephant giving birth to a mouse, this being a necessary measure, but perhaps still to be aligned with the expectations of a sector that is at the forefront.
The role of the Italian Space Agency
With grace and vision, the president of ASI, Teodoro Valente, was among the first to comment on the news: «The presentation of the bill is an important step for the Italian space sector», underlining its architecture that «defines an innovative regulatory framework, which will regulate a sector that is fundamental for the economy of the country». The new law assigns ASI a specific role, which is to supervise the operators in the sector. In this regard, Valente adds: «The document favors the entry of private individuals into the Space sector, regulating their access and operations. It adds important economic support measures, to strengthen the sector in a system logic». The law establishes that in the event that private entities do not comply with the provisions of the law, they will see their authorization to operate in Italy revoked. The president of ASI then focuses on SMEs: «The increase in support measures will allow us to attribute greater value to Made in Italy space to face international challenges» and consolidate the role of leader in the sector.
The funds allocated
“The bill was already foreseen in the economic maneuver, financed with a specific budget resource, as it was implemented by the Presidency of the Council through the delegated authority”. With these words, Minister Urso – with responsibility for space activities – presented his proposal, substantiating the regulatory project with numbers. “A multi-year fund for the Space economy will be established, for an amount of 150 million euros”, which will have the objective of supporting companies, promoting technology transfer based on the use of space technologies and the commercial use of infrastructures. The PNRR funds remain under attention because “the resources that have been placed by the government in the vast area of the space sector, up to 2026, amount to 7 billion and 300 million euros overall”. Looking at the details, there are the approximately 3 billion destined for the European Space Agency, of which Italy is the third contributing country: «The data show that every euro invested in ESA activities brings a three-euro impact for Italian companies», underlines Urso who claims the ESA funding as his first government act during the ESA Ministerial in Paris in 2022. To the count must be added the 2.3 billion euros allocated to the ASI and also the PNRR Space resources for a total amount of more than seven billion used by the government in space projects valid until 2026.
Supply Chain and SMEs
There is a strong paradigm shift underway and it is related to the entry of large private players who, at an international level and with funding often equal to that of public origin, are changing the structure and balance of the sector. A note from Mimit clarifies that: «Following months of consultation with the main public and private players, the Space bill regulates access to the sector by private individuals. The need for authorization is foreseen for both foreign operators who intend to conduct space activities from Italian territory and for national operators who operate from a foreign territory. Space activities already authorized by another State are exempt from the obligation, if recognized in Italy on the basis of international treaties». This has led the most skeptical to see an assist to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a sort of stone guest, whose presence also hovers in the panorama of the Italian Space economy.
Finally, the bill provides for the development of a national plan for the Space economy, with a five-year horizon, to analyze the needs of the sector and identify fundable investments. The good intentions are there, therefore; the field test of a rule that was otherwise necessary remains to be verified.
Source: lespresso.it
