Norway wants to join the EU’s secure satellite programmes, bringing the country into Secure Connectivity, commonly known as IRIS², and GOVSATCOM until the end of 2027. The Norwegian government submitted the proposal to the Storting on 21 August, arguing that participation would strengthen secure communications for civilian and military authorities, improve cooperation with allies and create opportunities for Norway’s space industry.
The proposal concerns an agreement that Norway and the European Union signed in Brussels on 26 March 2026. On 10 July, the EEA Joint Committee also adopted a decision incorporating the relevant EU legislation into the EEA framework. Parliamentary approval is now required because participation has budgetary consequences and involves what the government describes as a limited transfer of authority.
Norway would join IRIS² and GOVSATCOM
The EU’s Secure Connectivity programme is intended to provide European governments with secure and resilient satellite communications that are less dependent on infrastructure controlled outside Europe.
The programme is generally associated with IRIS², short for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite. According to the Norwegian government’s proposal, the EU plans to build and launch a constellation of around 300 satellites in low Earth orbit, with the system expected to become operational in the early 2030s.
Norway would also join GOVSATCOM, an existing component of the EU Space Programme. Instead of creating an entirely new satellite constellation, GOVSATCOM pools secure communication capacity available through national and commercial satellite systems and makes it accessible to authorised public users.
Participation in GOVSATCOM is a prerequisite for Norway to participate in Secure Connectivity.
The European Commission identifies potential GOVSATCOM users including armed forces, border and maritime authorities, police, civil protection services, humanitarian responders and operators of critical infrastructure.
The secure satellite programmes would cost Norway NOK 466 million
Norway’s participation until the end of 2027 is estimated to cost NOK 466.2 million (€42.9 million) in contributions to the European Union.
The government argues that access to the programmes could benefit both civilian and military authorities, particularly in situations where conventional communications infrastructure is unavailable, vulnerable or insufficiently secure.
Secure satellite communications have become increasingly relevant for defence, emergency preparedness and the operation of critical infrastructure. For Norway, the government also points to greater interoperability with allied countries, as well as potential benefits for the domestic space industry.
The arrangement does not, however, give Norway decision-making powers over the EU programmes. Under the agreement with the European Union, Norway would participate in the programmes and gain access to their services, while the EU would retain the institutional framework and ownership of the public infrastructure developed under them.
Another step in Norway’s integration with EU security policy
Norway is not a member of the European Union, but participates extensively in European cooperation through the European Economic Area and a series of separate agreements.
The satellite proposal is another example of that relationship extending into sectors increasingly connected to European security and strategic autonomy. Through IRIS² and GOVSATCOM, Norway would become part of infrastructure designed not only for commercial connectivity, but also for governments, defence and security-critical services.
The agreement signed in March covers participation only until the end of 2027, when the current EU programme period expires. The Norwegian government says participation after 2027 will be assessed during next year.
If the Storting gives its consent, Norway will therefore enter the EU’s secure satellite architecture before IRIS² itself becomes fully operational, while gaining more immediate access to the already functioning GOVSATCOM framework.
