EU Commission President faces criticism over €6.5bn space project support

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed support for ‘Project Bromo’, a proposed €6.5 billion joint venture between Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales. Speaking at the International Space Summit in Paris, von der Leyen described the initiative as a necessary ‘industrial champion’ to ensure Europe leads in the future space economy and reduces strategic dependence on US-based providers like SpaceX’s Starlink.

However, the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from European Parliament Member Stephanie Yon-Courtin. A specialist in competition law, Yon-Courtin characterized von der Leyen’s public endorsement of the merger as an ‘abuse of power’ and a ‘breach of duty’ because the project has not yet undergone a formal review by the EU’s competition authorities. Yon-Courtin questioned the efficacy of the Competition Commissioner and the Directorate-General for Competition if the Commission President can unilaterally decide on major mergers through media-driven conferences without substantive examination.