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guidelines by the end of 2014. The issues are being investigated by the four
Expert Groups. Group A deals with sustainable space utilisation supporting
sustainable development on Earth; Group B deals with space debris, space
operations and tools to support collaborative space situational awareness;
Group C addresses space weather; and Group D discusses regulatory regimes
and guidance for all actors in the space arena. The draft report and best
practice guideline from these Expert Groups will be presented at the WG in
early 2014.
Setting up the best practice, procedures and guideline requires Space
Situation Awareness (SSA). It requires coordinated multisite networks among
the space faring nations. Sharing SSA information between governments and
commercial actors, among governments, and with public is becoming
necessary to ensure safety in space.
Furthermore, the work and processes outside COPUOS should be
recognised. For example, the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) is
working on Transparency and Confidence Building Measures (TCBMs) in
space activities. The GGE has strengthened closer dialogues for the benefit
of long-term space utilisation by the international space community as a
whole. They submitted a report to the General Assembly in 2013. This
report on Transparency and Confidence Building Measures(TCBMs) is not
legally binding, but describes the concept and meanings of TCBMs and
recommends pursuing the long-term sustainability of outer space activities
through COPUOS and the Code of Conduct (CoC) discussions.
The European Union (EU) is leading the discussion on CoC. The
establishment of the Code is being pursued to ensure free use of outer space
for peaceful purposes and to maintain security and integrity of space objects
in orbit, while giving due consideration to legitimate security and defence
interests of states. The Code focuses on establishing norms of behaviour for
the use of outer space. Again, this code is not legally binding but requests a
political commitment. I would strongly support both of activities.
Another forum, the CD, considers the prevention of an arms race in outer
space and the banning of the use of weapons in space through a legally
binding treaty. The CD has discussed the Prevention of an Arms Race in
Outer Space (PAROS) for a number of years. However, the CD discussion is
deadlocked because states cannot agree on its agenda. In 2008, China and
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