ECSL National Points of Contact

The ECSL encourages the establishment of National Points of Contact (NPOCs) in ESA Member States, Associate Members and Cooperating States. This growing network of NPOCs facilitates contacts with the ECSL members within each Member State and is key in promoting and organising ECSL local activities. The NPOC is the interface between the ECSL and its members at national level.

To date, there are NPOCs set up in 18 ESA Member States and Cooperating States: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and the UK. Their status may differ depending on a legal structure chosen by its members, as well as whether an institute or centre for space law has been established.

Becoming a NPOC

NPOCs are decided upon by the ECSL Board during its bi-annual meetings.

The procedure for becoming a NPOC consists of 3 stages:

1. An official application must be made in writing to the ECSL Board. This shall include information relating to:

• The extent of space activity (especially space law) in the Member State concerned
• The level of ECSL membership in the Member State
• The nature and extent of the candidate's prior involvement in space law
• The ability of the candidate to represent the ECSL and comply with the ordinary duties of a NPOC in the scheme of ECSL activities, namely promoting the ECSL, providing information to members and organising activities at national level.

2. This official application should be accompanied by an opinion of the ESA delegation of the Member State concerned. This should be sought and obtained, where practicable, by the ESA Representative to the ECSL Board, or by the candidate themselves.

3. The official application and ESA delegation opinion shall then be put before the ECSL Board for approval.