# European Commission (DG DEFIS)
*agency . companies*

## Specifications
- **operator domains**: ["defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu"]
- **country**: European Union
- **website**: https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu
- **entity type**: company
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-20
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: agency-sourced
- **attributes**: {"kind":"agency","operator_domains":"[\"defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu\"]","country":"European Union","website":"https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
European Commission (DG DEFIS) is the EU institution responsible for implementing the EU Space Programme, including Copernicus for Earth observation and Galileo/EGNOS for navigation.[^s1][^s2] In Copernicus, the Commission is the programme owner and funder, holds the Copernicus brand and Sentinel satellite data on behalf of member states, and delegates space-segment implementation to ESA and EUMETSAT.[^s1][^s3]

The Commission does not build or operate satellites directly; satellite infrastructure is handled under delegation arrangements with ESA, EUMETSAT, and member-state actors.[^s3] Its 2021-2027 Copernicus budget is approximately EUR 5.8 billion, and DG DEFIS also covers the European Defence Fund, GOVSATCOM, Space Surveillance and Tracking, and space and defence industry policy.[^s1][^s2]

## Sources
- [s1] | Regulation (EU) 2021/696 - Union Space Programme | https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2021.170.01.0069.01.ENG | tier=legal-text | accessed=2026-06-20
  Legal basis for Copernicus and EUSPA; establishes governance including EC programme-ownership role
- [s2] | DG DEFIS - European Commission department page | https://commission.europa.eu/about/departments-and-executive-agencies/defence-industry-and-space_en | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-20
  Confirms DG DEFIS mandate for space and defence industry; Commissioner Kubilius, DG Pesonen
- [s3] | Copernicus FAQ - official programme portal | https://www.copernicus.eu/en/faq | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-20
  Confirms ESA/EUMETSAT as entrusted space-segment operators; EC programme ownership structure

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/companies/european-commission
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