National Legislation for Space Sector in the Space Emerging Countries: The case of the United Arab Emirates
- Paper number
IAC-20,E7,5,1,x58573
- Author
Mr. Mohamed Amara, United Arab Emirates, UAE Space Agency
- Coauthor
Dr. Sagee Geetha Sethu, United Arab Emirates
- Year
2020
- Abstract
Spearheading its space ambitions, the United Arab Emirates has become the first country in the region that has enacted a comprehensive national regulation on space activities. For achieving this milestone, its first step was the creation of the UAE Space Agency by Federal Law No.1 of 2014. According to this law, the Agency is responsible for the overall conduct of space activities including the issuance of licenses for various types of space activities and is the competent body to ensure the safety of such activities. On September 2016, the UAE National Space Policy was adopted by the Council of Ministers. The most important objective of the policy is to develop the UAE’s space sector including national space legislation. It is in this context that an extensive Space Sector National Law was enacted on the 19th of December 2019.. Keeping up with its international obligations, The UAE has already ratified the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the 1972 Liability Convention, the 1975 Registration Convention by a presidential decree in 2000, and the 1968 Rescue Agreement in May 2017. This paper will discuss the key elements of the UAE Space Sector National Law and in particular analyse how the UAE has addressed the legal issues and matters relating to the scope of application, authorization, continuing supervision, liability for damages, registration, environmental aspects and conformity with the obligations arising from international space law. It will also address the aspects of newer areas of space such as suborbital flights and space resources. Finally, the paper will briefly allow for some conclusions and recommendations for contributing towards any further development of international and national space law principles, which are represented through the legislative efforts on the part of UAE.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)