On 13 May 2025, the third preparatory webinar for the upcoming 3rd International Congress of Space Renaissance Italia, to be held on June 13–15 at the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, brought together leading voices from the space sector to discuss the present and future of Italian and European space policy.
Moderated by Adriano V. Autino, founder of Space Renaissance International (SRI), the webinar featured contributions from prominent institutional and industry representatives, including Gabriella Arrigo (Italian Space Agency’s Director of International Affairs, President-Elect of the International Astronautical Federation), Stefano Antonetti (Business Development Manager at D-Orbit), Sergio Marchisio (Chairman of the European Centre for Space Law at ESA and Italy delegate to COPUOS), and Alberto Cavallo (SRI co-founder).
The discussion opened with an overview of the new strategic guidelines recently issued by the Italian Government, which emphasize autonomy, international cooperation, sustainability, and competitiveness, while also calling for stronger integration between space, defence, and diplomacy. Gabriella Arrigo detailed how these priorities are being implemented and promoted through the efforts of the Italian Space Agency, also noting that while Italy is committed to advancing these goals, real progress – particularly on critical issues like launch capabilities – requires coordinated efforts and substantial investment at the European level.
From an industry perspective, Stefano Antonetti shared a frank analysis of Italy’s position as a global technology leader in space, but one struggling with limited human resources, low margins for small enterprises, and a brain drain of talent toward other sectors and countries. He emphasized the need for public procurement policies to support the industrial base, citing the U.S. model of purchasing services as a means to foster innovation and market stability.
Sergio Marchisio explored legal and institutional developments. He emphasized Italy’s leading and long-standing role within COPUOS, where recent work has focused on the initial development of a set principles for space resource activities and introducing study groups on emerging issues like space traffic. At the European level, he discussed the forthcoming EU Space Act, expected to introduce binding technical standards for space operations under Article 114 TFEU. While this could strengthen harmonization, he noted potential challenges with national legal systems. On the national front, Marchisio examined the proposed Italian space legislation, currently under discussion in the Senate, which aims to ensure compliance with international obligations through provisions on authorization, liability, and registration.
Alberto Cavallo addressed one of the central issues of the debate: Europe’s delay in developing autonomous and competitive launch capabilities. Drawing comparisons with the U.S. and Chinese models, he called for a shift in European policy toward mechanisms that actively support private sector innovation, such as service-based procurement and open competition. His remarks echoed broader concerns raised throughout the webinar about the limitations of current funding and governance structures.
The recording of the webinar is available at the following link 🔗!
