Slovenia Signs Artemis Accords

Slovenia has officially joined the Artemis Accords; marking the third European country to do so within a span of five days.

Matevž Frangež, the state secretary of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism, and Sport in the Slovenian government, signed the Accords during a ceremony held in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event was a part of the broader U.S. – Slovenia Strategic Dialogue, underscoring the growing cooperation between the two nations in the realm of space exploration.

“Slovenia joins the principles, values, and rules on the peaceful use of space as a common good of humanity,” - Matevž Frangež, Slovenia State Secretary of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism, and Sport 

The Artemis Accords, introduced in 2020, outline a set of guidelines for nations involved in space exploration, building upon the framework established by the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and other relevant international agreements. These accords encompass provisions related to transparency, interoperability, preservation of space heritage, utilization of space resources, and deconfliction of space activities.

With Slovenia becoming the 39th nation to sign the accords, the country reinforces its position as an active participant in the global space community.

As a member of the European Union and an associate member of the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2016, Slovenia has been steadily advancing its presence in space exploration. In November 2023, Slovenia formally applied for full membership in ESA, following the adoption of a national space strategy, a pivotal step preceding its bid for full ESA membership, which is currently under consideration by the ESA Council.

“This opens up opportunities for Slovenia to accelerate the development of our space sector…This is not only an opportunity to strengthen space research but also to develop breakthrough innovations that can revitalize the Slovenian economy.” - Matevž Frangež, Slovenia State Secretary of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism, and Sport 

“We recognize Slovenia as a rising leader in space. We look forward to taking our collaborations with Slovenia on science, technology, and innovation to new frontiers.” - Jamie Harpootlian, U.S. Ambassador to Slovenia, 

Slovenia’s accession to the Artemis Accords comes amidst a flurry of similar commitments from European nations. Switzerland and Sweden both signed the accords on April 15th and 16th, respectively, further underlining the region’s collective dedication to promoting responsible space exploration. Additionally, Belgium, Greece, and Uruguay have also joined the ranks of Artemis Accords signatories this year.