Unknown to the general public, the European Union Satellite Centre ( EU Satellite Centreor SatCen for short) is a major tool in the common security and defence policy (CSDP). Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (i.e. in charge of CSDP), made this clear on 29 August at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Madrid-based institution: "The EU Satellite Centre is the European Union's eye in the sky and a very important element of EU security. It literally helps the EU to get a better overview of developments affecting it or of crises in the world [...] SatCen must maintain its position as the EU's centre of excellence for geospatial intelligence analysis." The Spanish Defence Minister, Margarita Robles, added on the same day: "Spain is very proud to be the host country of this Centre, which is a magnificent example of what we Europeans can achieve through our cooperation in security and defence."
Since June 2019, SatCen has been headed by Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, a Romanian diplomat. Last week, he was in Paris for a module of the 19th CSDP High Level Course, organised by the European Security and Defence College and hosted by IHEDN. Ahead of his replacement on 1 June by his deputy since 2021, French naval captain Louis Tillier, Sorin Ducaru looks back at the role and missions of this European agency.
WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN UNION SATELLITE CENTRE?
The European Union Satellite Centre is the autonomous geospatial intelligence analysis agency of the EU and its Member States. Founded in 1992 as part of the Western European Union, it became an EU agency in 2002 by decision of the European Council, and therefore has more than 30 years' operational experience. It specialises in geospatial analysis services, mainly using satellite imagery, but also data from other sources.
SatCen tailors its services for the EU, its Member States and, on their behalf, for international partners such as the UN, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Its analysis supports political decision-making and civilian and military operations carried out under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
In addition, the centre fosters synergies and complementarities with other European space and security initiatives, including jointly funded research and development projects. SatCen also plays a crucial role as a trusted entity for the Copernicus service in support of external action and security.
At the SatCen ministerial-level board meeting in August 2023, the Member States confirmed their intention to align the future development of our agency with the EU's growing security and defence ambitions. This can be seen as a direct response to the ever-increasing challenges in the field of European and international security, such as Russia's massive invasion of Ukraine, among other crises.
The centre is developing its activities as part of the Strategic compasswhich calls for strengthening our autonomous geospatial intelligence capability by 2025, as detailed in the EU space strategy for security and defenceand in the new european maritime security strategy.
SatCen's vision is to be the EU's hub for state-of-the-art space-based security and defence services in support of decision-making and action under the CFSP/CSDP and space and security policies, while maximising synergies with the relevant EU and Member State bodies.
WHAT ARE YOUR RESOURCES?
As far as satellite data is concerned, we rely on private service providers, bearing in mind that over 85% of this commercial data comes from European satellite data. We also use the 'Sentinel' satellite constellation of Copernicus, the European Earth observation programme. Finally, we rely on data from government satellites in five Member States (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Luxembourg), which signed a framework agreement to this effect last year.
In terms of sensor types, optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data are mainly used for analysis, but we have recently been developing applications using multispectral analysis and a wider range of collateral data (geolocation data, radio frequency data or open source information).
In terms of data processing, in recent years SatCen has been committed to the use of modern IT tools for Big Data processing and artificial intelligence tools for automatic detection and partial analysis, with the aim of equipping the human analyst and thus increasing the efficiency, quality and speed of analysis.
SatCen has also developed a secure IT platform infrastructure for fast, efficient and interactive use by its accredited users, i.e. Member States, accredited EU bodies or the headquarters of EU missions and operations.
WHAT TASKS DO THE MEMBER STATES AND EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS CALL ON YOUR SERVICES FOR?
Through its geospatial intelligence services, the centre supports the full range of EU foreign, security and defence policy activities. Analysis options cover a wide range: from humanitarian aid, contingency planning and evacuation preparations, to issues of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their vector technology, general security surveillance and specialised analysis of military capabilities, critical infrastructure or industrial facilities. As a general rule, the Centre's services are task-oriented and support the decision-making and actions of its users, thereby enhancing the autonomy of the EU and its Member States in terms of situational awareness.
The Centre also supports EU missions and operations around the world (such as operations Aspide, Irini and Atalanta, or the observation mission in Georgia). In fact, the share of our services has quadrupled in the last three years, demonstrating our growing role in field operations.
As part of its Copernicus activities, SatCen works directly with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), reinforcing the EU's efforts in situational awareness, monitoring irregular migration and preventing cross-border crime along the EU's external borders.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE A RECENT MISSION CARRIED OUT BY THE CENTRE?
A recent example of one of SatCen's missions, aimed at saving lives and getting EU citizens home safely, was the support provided in planning the evacuation of Khartoum (Sudan) last year. Given the nature of our work, we don't usually talk about the details of our operational activity. But in general, SatCen carries out more than 100 analyses every week, each with a high degree of urgency and importance. Given that user demand for SatCen analysis has grown considerably recently (annual output has doubled in the last four years), we have an ongoing process of prioritising our users' assignments.
In addition, the Centre has prepared accurate, reliable and real-time analyses in the context of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the Gaza crisis.
These services highlight SatCen's importance as the EU's geospatial intelligence provider, and its key role in facilitating a common understanding of security and defence through shared knowledge and analysis of a situation.
