Editing European Space Agency (section)

===Enlargement===
{{See also|Enlargement of the European Space Agency}}
After the decision of the ESA Council of 21/22 March 2001, the procedure for accession of the European states was detailed as described the document titled "The Plan for European Co-operating States (PECS)".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/PECS/documents/PECSPresentation2006.pdf |title=The Plan for European Co-operating States (PECS): Towards an enlarged ESA Partnership |first=Bernard |last=Zufferey |date=22 November 2006 |publisher=European Space Agency |access-date=21 July 2014 |archive-date=16 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816020518/http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/PECS/documents/PECSPresentation2006.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Nations that want to become a full member of the ESA do so in 3 stages. First a Cooperation Agreement is signed between the country and ESA. In this stage, the country has very limited financial responsibilities. If a country wants to co-operate more fully with ESA, it signs a European Cooperating State (ECS) Agreement, albeit to be a candidate for said agreement, a country must be European. The ECS Agreement makes companies based in the country eligible for participation in ESA procurements. The country can also participate in all ESA programmes, except for the Basic Technology Research Programme. While the financial contribution of the country concerned increases, it is still much lower than that of a full member state. The agreement is normally followed by a Plan For European Cooperating State (or PECS Charter). This is a 5-year programme of basic [[research and development]] activities aimed at improving the nation's [[space industry]] capacity. At the end of the 5-year period, the country can either begin negotiations to become a full member state or an associated state or sign a new PECS Charter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pecs.esa.int/node/24 |title=PECS: General Overview |publisher=European Space Agency |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523104757/http://pecs.esa.int/node/24 |archive-date=23 May 2009}}</ref> Many countries, most of which joined the EU in both 2004 and 2007, have started to co-operate with the ESA on various levels:

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Applicant state
! scope="col" | Cooperation agreement
! scope="col" | ECS agreement
! scope="col" | PECS charter
! scope="col" | Association agreement signature
! scope="col" | Associate membership
! class="unsortable" | National programme
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Slovenia}}
|{{dts|28 May 2008}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukom.gov.si/eng/slovenia/publications/slovenia-news/6537/6554/ |publisher=Slovenian Government Communication Office |title=Slovenian Government and ESA Sign Cooperation Agreement |date=28 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608123103/http://www.ukom.gov.si/eng/slovenia/publications/slovenia-news/6537/6554/ |archive-date=8 June 2008}}</ref>
|{{dts|22 January 2010}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovenia_becomes_sixth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |title=Slovenia becomes sixth ESA European Cooperating State |access-date=6 September 2014 |date=25 January 2010 |publisher=ESA |archive-date=11 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911215512/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovenia_becomes_sixth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|30 November 2010}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mvzt.gov.si/nc/en/splosno/cns/news/article/94/6845/049772920e/ |title=European Space Agency selects and confirms ten Slovenian proposals |access-date=6 December 2010 |publisher=Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Slovenia |date=3 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510110232/http://www.mvzt.gov.si/nc/en/splosno/cns/news/article/94/6845/049772920e/ |archive-date=10 May 2011 }}</ref>
|{{dts|5 July 2016}}<ref name="esa">{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovenia_signs_Accession_Agreement |title=Slovenia signs Association Agreement |last=esa |access-date=12 October 2017 |archive-date=16 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416152327/https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Slovenia_signs_Association_Agreement |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|1 December 2016}}<ref name="esa" />
|through [[Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (Slovenia)|MoEDT]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Latvia}}
|{{dts|23 July 2009}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.diena.lv/lat/politics/hot/parakstis-ligumu-par-sadarbibu-kosmosa-joma |title=Līgums ar Kosmosa aģentūru liks tiekties pēc augstākiem rezultātiem |access-date=24 July 2009 |work=[[Diena.lv]] |date=23 July 2009 |language=lv |archive-date=16 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416152349/https://www.diena.lv/404/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|19 March 2013}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Latvia becomes seventh ESA European Cooperating State |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Latvia_becomes_seventh_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |work=esa.int |publisher=ESA |access-date=19 March 2013 |archive-date=22 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322233954/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Latvia_becomes_seventh_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|30 January 2015}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2015/01/Signature_of_the_PECS_Charter_between_ESA_and_Latvia2 |title=Signature of the PECS Charter between ESA and Latvia |publisher=ESA |date=31 January 2015 |access-date=31 January 2015 |archive-date=5 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205140007/http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2015/01/Signature_of_the_PECS_Charter_between_ESA_and_Latvia2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|30 June 2020}}<ref name="www.esa.int-2020" />
|{{dts|27 July 2020}}<ref name="www.esa.int-2020" />
|[[Latvian Space Office|LSO]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Lithuania}}
|{{dts|7 October 2010}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/Technology/?doc=32461 |title=Lithuania signs agreement with European Space Agency |author=Danuta Pavilenene |date=7 October 2010 |work=The Baltic Course |access-date=7 October 2010 |archive-date=7 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707210032/http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/Technology/?doc=32461 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|7 October 2014}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Lithuania_becomes_eighth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |title=Lithuania becomes eighth ESA European Cooperating State |author=ESA |date=10 October 2014 |access-date=11 October 2014 |archive-date=14 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014211757/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Lithuania_becomes_eighth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|28 September 2015}}<ref name="www.esa.int-2" />
|{{dts|28 April 2021}}<ref name="www.esa.int-2" />
|{{dts|21 May 2021}}<ref name="www.esa.int-2" />
|[[Lithuanian Space Office|LSO]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Slovakia}}
|{{dts|28 April 2010}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovak_Republic_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |title=Slovak Republic signs Cooperation Agreement |date=4 May 2010 |access-date=6 September 2014 |publisher=ESA |archive-date=11 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911215615/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovak_Republic_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|16 February 2015}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovakia_becomes_ninth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |title=Slovakia becomes ninth ESA European Cooperating State |author=esa |work=European Space Agency |access-date=3 October 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924014857/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Slovakia_becomes_ninth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|4 February 2016}}<ref name="www.esa.int" />
|{{dts|14 June 2022}}<ref name="www.esa.int"/>
|{{dts|13 October 2022}}<ref name="www.esa.int"/>
|[[Slovak Space Office|SSO]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Bulgaria}}
|{{dts|11 June 2014}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-06-11 |title=Орешарски вкара България в Европейската космическа агенция |url=https://www.mediapool.bg/oresharski-vkara-bulgaria-v-evropeiskata-kosmicheska-agentsiya-news221341.html |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Mediapool.bg |language=bg-BG |archive-date=8 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108234321/https://www.mediapool.bg/oresharski-vkara-bulgaria-v-evropeiskata-kosmicheska-agentsiya-news221341.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Александров |first=Светослав |date=2014-06-11 |title=Процедурата за влизането на България в Европейската космическа агенция започна!!! |url=https://www.cosmos.1.bg/portal/2014-10-24-20-54-26/21-2012-01-05-19-55-17/543-2014-bulgaria-joins-esa |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=КОСМОС БГ – Космическият сайт на Светослав Александров |archive-date=8 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108234322/https://www.cosmos.1.bg/portal/2014-10-24-20-54-26/21-2012-01-05-19-55-17/543-2014-bulgaria-joins-esa |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|8 April 2015}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Bulgaria_becomes_tenth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |title=Bulgaria becomes tenth ESA European Cooperating State |author=esa |work=European Space Agency |access-date=3 October 2015 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925050004/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Bulgaria_becomes_tenth_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{dts|4 February 2016}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mi.government.bg/bg/news/balgariya-podpisa-harta-s-evropeiskata-kosmicheska-agenciya-sporazumenieto-za-evropeiska-kooperirashta-da-2463.html |title=Bulgaria signs PECS Charter |author=MoE |work=Ministry of Economics of Bulgaria |access-date=4 February 2016 |archive-date=5 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205092910/http://www.mi.government.bg/bg/news/balgariya-podpisa-harta-s-evropeiskata-kosmicheska-agenciya-sporazumenieto-za-evropeiska-kooperirashta-da-2463.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|[[Space Research and Technology Institute|SRTI]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Cyprus}}
|{{dts|27 August 2009}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.famagusta-gazette.com/default.asp?sdetail=9458 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102133129/http://www.famagusta-gazette.com/default.asp?sdetail=9458 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2013 |title=Cyprus signs space agreement |access-date=30 August 2009 |date=28 August 2009 |work=Famagusta Gazette Online}}</ref>
|{{dts|6 July 2016}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Cyprus_becomes_11th_ESA_European_Cooperating_State|title=Cyprus becomes 11th ESA European Cooperating State|website=www.esa.int|access-date=14 May 2022|archive-date=14 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514235712/https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Cyprus_becomes_11th_ESA_European_Cooperating_State|url-status=live}}</ref>
|{{dts|24 April 2017}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ανακοινώσεις {{!}} Τμήμα Ηλεκτρονικών Επικοινωνιών |url=https://dec.dmrid.gov.cy/dmrid/dec/ws_dec.nsf/All/CCE6664FF1ECF718C22584F5004B46FF?OpenDocument |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=dec.dmrid.gov.cy |archive-date=8 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108231455/https://dec.dmrid.gov.cy/dmrid/dec/ws_dec.nsf/All/CCE6664FF1ECF718C22584F5004B46FF?OpenDocument |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|through [[Ministry of Communications and Works (Cyprus)|MoCW]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Croatia}}
|{{dts|19 February 2018}}<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://m.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Croatia_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |title=Croatia signs Cooperation Agreement |last=esa |work=European Space Agency |access-date=19 February 2018 |archive-date=19 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219160012/http://m.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Croatia_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |url-status=live }}</ref>
||{{dts|23 March 2023}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mzo.gov.hr/news/minister-fuchs-signed-the-new-agreement-with-the-european-space-agency/5413 |title=Minister Fuchs signed the new Agreement with the European Space Agency |access-date=23 March 2023 |date=23 March 2023 |publisher=Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia |archive-date=23 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323161547/https://mzo.gov.hr/news/minister-fuchs-signed-the-new-agreement-with-the-european-space-agency/5413 |url-status=live }}</ref>
||{{dts|16 August 2023}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Croatia becomes ESA European Cooperating State |url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Croatia_becomes_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.esa.int |language=en |archive-date=8 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231108222633/https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Croatia_becomes_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|through [[Ministry of Science and Education (Croatia)|MoSE]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|European Union}}{{Flag|Malta}}
||{{dts|20 February 2012}}<ref name="ca2012">{{cite news |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Malta_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |title=Malta signs Cooperation Agreement |date=23 February 2012 |access-date=6 September 2014 |work=ESA |archive-date=12 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912124933/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Malta_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |url-status=live }}</ref>
||{{dts|25 October 2023}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Malta becomes ESA European Cooperating State |url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Malta_becomes_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.esa.int |language=en}}</ref>
||{{dts|12 September 2024}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Malta becomes ESA European Cooperating State |url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Malta_becomes_ESA_European_Cooperating_State |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.esa.int |language=en}}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|[[Malta Council for Science and Technology|MCST]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flag|Turkey}}
|{{dts|15 July 2004}}<ref name="esa-20040906">{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Industry/ESA_signs_Cooperation_Agreement_with_Turkey |title=ESA signs Cooperation Agreement with Turkey |date=6 September 2004 |access-date=6 September 2014 |publisher=European Space Agency |archive-date=10 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110134349/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Industry/ESA_signs_Cooperation_Agreement_with_Turkey |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|[[Turkey Space Agency|TUA]]<br><small>(agreement with [[TÜBİTAK Space Technologies Research Institute|TÜBİTAK UZAY]])</small>
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flag|Ukraine}}
|{{dts|25 January 2008}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nkau.gov.ua/nsau/newsnsau.nsf/HronolE/54F1C600559E994CC22573DB00489EE7?OpenDocument&Lang=E |title=A cooperation agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the European Space Agency was signed in Paris |access-date=25 January 2008 |publisher=[[State Space Agency of Ukraine]] |archive-date=2 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202043812/http://www.nkau.gov.ua/nsau/newsnsau.nsf/HronolE/54F1C600559E994CC22573DB00489EE7?OpenDocument&Lang=E |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|[[State Space Agency of Ukraine|SSAU]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flag|Israel}}
|{{dts|30 January 2011}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Israel_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |title=Israel signs Cooperation Agreement |access-date=6 September 2014 |date=31 January 2011 |work=ESA.int |archive-date=11 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911215419/http://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/Israel_signs_Cooperation_Agreement |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|[[Israeli Space Agency|ISA]]
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flag|Mexico}}
||{{dts|14 February 2023}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=ESA signs Cooperation Agreement with Mexico |url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/ESA_signs_Cooperation_Agreement_with_Mexico |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.esa.int |language=en |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113122543/https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/ESA_signs_Cooperation_Agreement_with_Mexico |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|[[Agencia Espacial Mexicana|AEM]]
|}

During the Ministerial Meeting in December 2014, ESA ministers approved a resolution calling for discussions to begin with Israel, Australia and South Africa on future association agreements. The ministers noted that "concrete cooperation is at an advanced stage" with these nations and that "prospects for mutual benefits are existing".<ref name="parabolicarc.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/03/esa-expansion-deepening-international-cooperation/ |title=ESA Looks Toward Expansion, Deeper International Cooperation |website=Parabolicarc.com |date=3 December 2014 |access-date=20 August 2017 |archive-date=10 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010235407/http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/12/03/esa-expansion-deepening-international-cooperation/ |url-status=live |last1=Messier |first1=Doug }}</ref>

A separate space exploration strategy resolution calls for further co-operation with the United States, Russia and China on "[[Low earth orbit|LEO]] exploration, including a continuation of [[International Space Station|ISS]] cooperation and the development of a robust plan for the coordinated use of space transportation vehicles and systems for exploration purposes, participation in robotic missions for the exploration of the Moon, the robotic exploration of Mars, leading to a broad Mars Sample Return mission in which Europe should be involved as a full partner, and human missions beyond LEO in the longer term."<ref name="parabolicarc.com"/>

In August 2019, the ESA and the [[Australian Space Agency]] signed a joint statement of intent "to explore deeper cooperation and identify projects in a range of areas including deep space, communications, navigation, remote asset management, [[data analytics]] and mission support."<ref name="Australia ESA Framework">{{cite web |url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2019/08/25/esa-australian-space-agency-sign-cooperation-agreement/ |title=ESA, Australian Space Agency Sign Cooperation Agreement |website=Parabolicarc.com |date=25 August 2019 |access-date=6 December 2021 |archive-date=6 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206202421/http://www.parabolicarc.com/2019/08/25/esa-australian-space-agency-sign-cooperation-agreement/ |url-status=live |last1=Messier |first1=Doug }}</ref> Details of the cooperation were laid out in a [[framework agreement]] signed by the two entities.

On 17 November 2020, ESA signed a [[memorandum of understanding]] (MOU) with the [[South African National Space Agency]] (SANSA). SANSA CEO Dr. Valanathan Munsami tweeted: "Today saw another landmark event for SANSA with the signing of an MoU with the ESA. This builds on initiatives that we have been discussing for a while already and which gives effect to these. Thanks Jan for your hand of friendship and making this possible."<ref name="SANSA ESA Framework">{{cite web |url=https://africanews.space/south-african-national-space-agency-signs-mou-with-european-space-agency/ |title=South African National Space Agency Signs MoU with European Space Agency |website=africanews.space |date=17 November 2020 |access-date=6 December 2021 |archive-date=6 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206203602/https://africanews.space/south-african-national-space-agency-signs-mou-with-european-space-agency/ |url-status=live }}</ref>