EU launches government satcom program in sovereignty push
162 points by benkan
by wongarsu
1 subcomments
From the headline I expected some kinds of new communication satellites. But instead this is "just" a marketplace where government entities can purchase services. The satellites were already in orbit and already "EU sovereign", this is about making it easier to use them and centralizing capacity planning
In a way this is the dry run for when IRIS² starts service in another four years or so, the European Starshield equivalent
by egorfine
0 subcomment
I'm sure we'll be able to progress at supersonic speeds with this project once the Environmental Impact Study will be complete.
by metalman
2 subcomments
[flagged]
by sajithdilshan
7 subcomments
I honestly wonder whether the EU can afford to spend on technological sovereignty. With an aging population and the need to maintain welfare states, governments will have to allocate more and more of future budgets to expanding and sustaining welfare programs (statutory health insurance, pensions, unemployment benefits, etc.). That ultimately means higher taxes, a larger government workforce, and a shrinking private sector. Maybe they will have enough money to maintain the existing status quo, but not sure where the additional capital would come from to invest in digital sovereignty.
by derelicta
0 subcomment
Too little too late, but one can still appreciate the initiative.
by buckle8017
4 subcomments
Guy in charge of NATO (who is dutch I think) recently said EU would need to move to spending 10% GDP to plausibly not need the us military.
So this is great and all but it's too little too late.
Hacker News