The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), together with the Caritas in Veritate Foundation, is pleased to invite participants to the high-level conference “Outer space: a new frontier of the common good”, to be held on Tuesday, 9 June 2026 from 13:00 to 14:30 at the COMECE Secretariat, 19 Square de Meeûs, Brussels. Registration mandatory. Deadline: 1 June. Read the Programme
The event will bring together representatives of the European institutions, diplomats, Church representatives, academics and experts in order to reflect on the ethical, political and strategic implications of outer space governance and sustainability.
The roundtable will address the growing importance of outer space for communication, security, environmental monitoring and technological development, while also examining the challenges linked to space debris, congestion of low-earth orbit and the militarisation of space. Discussions will focus on how outer space can remain a shared domain serving the common good and peaceful purposes.
The event will also feature the presentation of the publication “Outer space and humanity at a crossroads: reflections on a new frontier of the common good”, published by the Caritas in Veritate Foundation.
Opening remarks will be delivered by H.E. Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Apostolic Nuncio and President of the Caritas in Veritate Foundation, and by Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE.
Among the speakers and respondents will be Ms. Lorena Boix Alonso, Deputy Director-General at the European Commission’s DG Defence Industry and Space, Mr. Jean-Pol Poncelet, former Belgian Minister of Defence, Prof. Annick Castiaux and Prof. Dominique Lambert of the University of Namur, and Ms. Maria-Gabriella Sarah, expert at the Joint Research Centres of the EU seconded by the European Space Agency . The discussion will be moderated by H.E. Mr Thomas Antoine, Honorary Ambassador of Belgium.
A light lunch will be included between 12:30 and 13:00.
Registration
Participation in the event is subject to prior registration. Those wishing to attend are kindly requested to send an email. Access will be granted only upon confirmation by COMECE. Deadline for registration: 1 June 2026.
