Presidency of the Government - Azores Autonomous Region
Regional Regulatory Decree
(This is not an official translation of the Law)
Approving the Regulation for licensing space activities in the Azores Autonomous Region
The Azores Autonomous Region, bearing in mind the new opportunities in space, and taking the archipelago's strategic position in the Atlantic into account, has been implementing a strategy for adding value to its space potential since 2008, opening itself up to modernity and innovation in the area of new technological and scientific platforms and assuring a central role in this area.
In this context, through Decreto Legislativo Regional n.º 9/2019/A, de 9 de maio https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1472064(Regional Legislative Decree No. 9/2019/A, of 9 May), a legal framework has been created for licensing space activities, prequalification and registration and transfer of space objects in the Azores Autonomous Region, as well as the economic and financial framework, whose effectiveness is dependent on the publication of the regional regulatory decree for the matters referred to in Articles 7, 9, 10, 18 and 19.
This decree thus regulates (i) the terms of the procedure for the allocation of prequalification certificates for engagement in space activities; (ii) the definition of the criteria used to assess the conditions for the allocation of licences for launch and/or return operations and for command and control operations, as well as the terms of the procedure for allocating these licences; (iii) the definition of the elements necessary for the registration of certain facts related to space objects; (iv) and, finally, the definition of the terms and the information necessary for the transfer of ownership of space objects, whose launch, return or command and control is engaged in by licensed operators.
Thus, under the terms of Article 227(1)(d) of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Article 89(1)(b) of the Political and Administrative Statute of the Azores Autonomous Region and Article 33 of Regional Legislative Decree No. 9/2019/A, of 9 May, the Regional Government decrees the following:
Article 1
Object
The Regulation for Licensing Space Activities in the Azores Autonomous Region, particularly the prequalification procedures, the criteria used for the assessment of the conditions for allocation of licences, including the procedure for their actual allocation and the elements required for the registration of certain facts related to space objects, as well as the terms and information required for the transfer of space objects, which are contained in an annex to this regional regulatory decree, of which it is an integral part.
Article 2
Entry into force
This decree shall come into force on the day after its publication.
Approved by the Regional Government Board in Velas on 23 January 2020.
The President of the Regional Government, Vasco Ilídio Alves Cordeiro.
Signed in Angra do Heroísmo on 11 February 2020.
To be published.
The Representative of the Republic for the Azores Autonomous Region, Pedro Manuel dos Reis Alves Catarino.
Annex
(See the original document)
