Von der Leyen draws antitrust fire for backing EU space merger

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly backed Project Bromo, the proposed merger of the space divisions of Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales, during the International Space Summit in Paris this week — a move that prompted accusations of overstepping her authority from members of the European Parliament.

"These are the types of industrial champions we need if Europe is to lead in the space economy of tomorrow," von der Leyen said at the summit, according to Politico. The joint venture would create a European satellite and space services entity with annual revenue of €6.5 billion and 25,000 employees, headquartered in Toulouse, France. Airbus would hold 35 percent, with Leonardo and Thales each holding 32.5 percent.akm+1

Antitrust Backlash

Von der Leyen's endorsement drew a sharp rebuke from French MEP Stéphane Yon-Courtin, who wrote on X that "endorsing a merger at a conference covered by the media, without any substantive review, is an abuse of power and misconduct". The project has not yet been formally notified to or assessed by the Commission's competition department, led by Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera. "What is the point of Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera and the Directorate General for Competition if it is the president of the Commission who unilaterally decides a case?" Yon-Courtin asked.politico

The Bromo venture is designed in part to compete with SpaceX's Starlink satellite-internet service. French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have both publicly backed the project.politico

Europe's Space Ambitions

The two-day summit, held September 9–10 at the Grand Palais and hosted by Macron, brought together delegations from roughly 90 countries and channeled approximately €5 billion in contracts and investments for the European aerospace sector. Von der Leyen used the gathering to outline a broader European space strategy, including €131 billion proposed under the next EU long-term budget for defence, security, and space. She also announced the expansion of IRIS², a secure communications satellite constellation, to more than 350 satellites, with first launches from 2029.techreviewafrica+2

The summit concluded with a proclamation of Europe's "Space Decade," though some participants expressed disappointment at the lack of binding commitments from countries other than France to increase public space investment.politico