Norway and Iceland have signed agreements to participate in the European Union’s GOVSATCOM and IRIS2 secure communications programmes.
The EU’s GOVSATCOM and IRIS2 programmes are intended to provide European governments with secure, sovereign, and reliable access to communications for emergency response and security applications.
Brought online in January, the GOVSATCOM service is a precursor to IRIS2, initially pooling capacity from eight existing satellites provided by France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Luxembourg. The €10.6 billion IRIS2 programme will develop and deploy a multi-orbit constellation of around 290 satellites designed to provide secure connectivity with greater capacity and coverage. The service is expected to be operational by 2030.
On 26 March, Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth and Iceland’s Ambassador to the EU, Stefán Haukur Jóhannesson, signed agreements with the EU’s Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, to participate in the EU’s GOVSATCOM and IRIS2 programmes.
“Access to both GOVSATCOM and IRIS2 will reinforce the response by Iceland and Norway to security and economic challenges while strengthening Europe’s global position,” said Commissioner Kubilius.
While neither Norway nor Iceland is an EU member, both participate in the European Economic Area, which provides access to the EU’s single market. Both also take part in the Copernicus Earth observation programme, with Norway also participating in Galileo, the EU’s satellite navigation system.
In a 26 March press release from Iceland’s Ministry of Infrastructure, the country confirmed that the agreement would initially run until the end of 2027 and would then automatically be extended for ten years. Iceland will contribute ISK 127 million (approximately €886,000) to the programmes in 2026 and ISK 119 million (approximately €830,000) in 2027. The agreement also outlines the possibility of Iceland contributing infrastructure to the project, including ground stations or facilities to support them. According to a similar release from the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, the country estimates that its contribution will amount to NOK 451.6 million (approximately €40 million) through 2027.
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