EU Draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities

Abstract

This chapter describes the main contents of the European Union (EU) Draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities, Space Debris and Liability Convention. It is necessary and desirable for us to legislate more concretely the abovementioned draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities so as to mitigate or remove space debris. In December 2008, the EU adopted a Draft Code of Conduct (EU Draft CoC) for outer space activities. On September 2010, the EU revised a second draft of the EU Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities. The draft of the International Code of Conduct (the Code), dated March 31, 2014, was intended to be the subject of negotiations at the United Nations in New York from July 27-31, 2015. The code, a politically and not legally binding document, aims to establish some rules of good conduct for outer space activities. The author proposes the establishment of a new Asian-Pacific International and Environmental Monitoring Organization (tentative title) for prevention and mitigation of space debris.