91 satellite operators, manufacturers and financiers have delivered a letter to inform governments of the world of their concerns over a proposed piece of international legislation called the Unidroit Space Assets Protocol, sponsored by the Unidroit organisation, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, based in Rome.
This Protocol aims to develop a new legal framework for financing satellite and space programmes despite the fact that no problems have been identified with the existing framework for financing satellites, which has worked well to date. Rather than promoting financing, the Protocol in fact risks complicating and damaging what is currently in place. The industry would be confronted with the prospect of obligations and costs from new legislation that purports to remedy a problem that simply does not exist.
At a time when governments are urging industry to create more jobs and to enable growth, it is a mystery that unnecessary and totally counter-productive burdens should be placed on the satellite industry. Additional bureaucracy will bog down procurement, would reduce investment and result in the creation of fewer jobs in one of the most innovative and successful industries in the world.
We believe that the overwhelming opposition of the entire global industry should count for something in the priorities of our governments. We therefore urge all those with an interest in the continuing success of this sector to speak up and stop this process.
A full analysis of this situation can be found at www.esoa.net, www.sia.org and www.spaceindustry.com.au
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