Iceland and Norway joined EU satellite programmes for secure public communications on Thursday, after an agreement was ratified in Brussels to give the two EEA countries access to GOVSATCOM and IRIS2, two initiatives designed to strengthen protected satellite connectivity for governments, emergency services and critical infrastructure operators.
The agreement was confirmed during a meeting with European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius. Iceland was represented by Ambassador Stefán Haukur Jóhannesson, while Norway signed through Trade and Industry Minister (næringsminister) Cecilie Myrseth. Iceland’s Ministry of Infrastructure said the move is meant to strengthen the country’s telecommunications security, digital sovereignty and infrastructure resilience.
Why GOVSATCOM and IRIS2 matter for Iceland and Norway
The two programmes serve different but connected purposes. GOVSATCOM is the EU system for secure satellite communications used by public authorities. It pools and coordinates satellite capacity made available by participating states and is intended to support government communications, crisis management and essential services.
IRIS2, the EU’s broader secure connectivity programme launched in 2023, is a larger long-term project. It is being built as a multi-orbit constellation, combining different orbital layers to improve coverage, resilience and redundancy. That architecture is particularly relevant for northern Europe, where geography and harsh weather can make resilient communications more difficult.
According to Iceland’s infrastructure ministry, IRIS2’s coverage area will extend north of Iceland. The ministry added that a possible future expansion could reach even farther north, although participation in any such extension would be optional. The EU executive says full governmental connectivity services under IRIS2 are expected to be delivered by 2030.
Secure satellite access for authorities and critical infrastructure
The practical goal of the agreement is to give Icelandic and Norwegian authorities access to more secure communications channels for public administration and infrastructure management. Earlier reporting in Iceland said the talks were originally launched in 2024 to secure access to a closed and protected communications system for police, emergency responders and other sensitive state functions, including matters related to national security.
That matters in countries where long distances, remote areas and exposure to extreme weather make redundancy in communications systems especially important. For both Iceland and Norway, the agreement also fits a wider European push to reduce dependence on non-European strategic infrastructure in fields such as connectivity, data and space.
What role the two countries will have inside the EU schemes
Iceland and Norway are not becoming full decision-making members of the programmes. Under the agreement, they will instead have observer status in committees and working groups linked to GOVSATCOM and IRIS2.
The deal also leaves room for practical contributions from Iceland. The ministry said Icelandic authorities may later support the projects by hosting ground stations or by making facilities and technical infrastructure available for the systems.
That could become strategically relevant as Europe expands its own secure communications architecture and looks for geographically useful sites in the North Atlantic and Arctic-adjacent area.
Cost, timing and the wider European space strategy
According to Iceland’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Iceland’s participation will cost about ISK 127 million this year (around EUR 886,000) and slightly less next year. The negotiations began in early 2024, and Norway had previously signalled that it expected to complete its entry into the EU system in 2026.
For Brussels, the agreement is another step in extending cooperation on strategic infrastructure beyond the EU’s formal membership, especially with closely integrated EEA partners. For Iceland and Norway, it offers access to systems that are increasingly tied not only to emergency response and infrastructure protection, but also to Europe’s wider security and technological autonomy agenda.
As secure communications become more central to civil protection, energy systems, transport networks and defence-related coordination, participation in EU satellite programmes is likely to carry growing political weight across the Nordic region and the broader European Economic Area.
