Construction of the Santa Maria Space Port

Question for written answer  E-001847/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Sandra Pereira (The Left)

This project has been marred by controversy from the outset and the public announcements regarding its development have been severely lacking in information.

On 2 October 2020, the then Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology of the Azores published the specifications regarding the construction, operation and exploitation of the space port, which marked the final phase of the international tender launched to make this project a reality.

On 21 January 2021, the regional government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores received two final proposals submitted by the international consortiums Rocket Factory Augsburg/Edisoft and ILEX Space/Optimal Structural Solutions.

According to the current Regional Secretary for Culture, Science and Digital Transition, the specifications require the body awarding the tender, as well as all the competitors, to take account of over 200 compulsory measures, yet do not foresee a deadline for the receipt of tenders, nor for the publication of the conclusions.

Furthermore, part of this document is confidential, which has given rise to legitimate concerns about the impact of the infrastructure on the environment, public health and the economy not only of the island of Santa Maria, but of the archipelago as a whole.

• 1.Has this project received any European funding, or is any such funding foreseen?
• 2.Is the Commission aware of the reasons why some of the clauses in the specifications have been made confidential?
• 3.What measures does the Commission intend to take to ensure that the concerns of the people of Santa Maria in particular, and of the people of the Azores in general, are addressed?