Welcome & Introduction

• Quentin Verspieren (European Space Agency)

ESA’s Internal "Zero Debris" Policy and Space Debris Mitigation Requirements: Role, Structure, and Evolution

• Sibyl-Anna de Courson

This presentation will introduce ESA’s role and long-term vision for space sustainability. It will explain how ESA’s "Zero Debris" policy and associated requirements have been developed, how they are structured and applied across ESA programmes, and how they interface with industry and missions. The presentation will also address how these requirements are reviewed, maintained, and evolved over time to remain aligned with technological progress and the broader regulatory landscape.

From Soft Law to Binding Obligations: The EU Space Act and the Emerging Zero-Debris Regulatory Framework

• Alberto Rueda Carazo (ESPI)

This presentation will outline the evolving European regulatory landscape for space debris mitigation and sustainability, focusing on the EU Space Act and its current development. It will explore the shift from national policies and voluntary guidelines toward more structured and potentially binding EU-level requirements, and examine how the Act is expected to interact with national regimes, industry practices, and international frameworks. The presentation will also highlight the Act’s scope, governance and adoption process, and its implications for compliance, accountability, and responsibility across European space activities within a broader global context.

Q&A from the audience

• Sacha Bressollette

Feedback & Closing

• Quentin Verspieren (European Space Agency)