Through Toulouse editorial staff
Published on
updated on 16 Feb 22 at 15:19
It’s the event of the day Toulouse. Wednesday February 16, 2022, Emmanuel Macron goes to Pierre-Baudis Congress Centerin the heart of the Compans-Caffarelli district.
At the beginning of the afternoon, the President of the Republic will give a speech on the sidelines of an informal meeting of European space ministers. This working day is organized as part of the French presidency of the European Union (PFUE).
To find out more about this official visit to Toulouse, see our live below:
3:10 p.m. Follow “the great warming”
Emmanuel Macron defends a “fundamental project of research and scientific exploration. He believes that “the control of space can be a decisive lever for controlling and regulating greenhouse gas emissions” and thus “following the evolution of the great warming”.
3:10 p.m. Toulouse, space control tower
In addition to the space command center, recently installed in Toulouse, the President recalls that the Pink City will soon host a NATO center of excellence for space, to “progress towards a European space strategy”. The challenge is to “regulate aggressiveness and the subjects of conflict”.
Finally, the Head of State calls for “building a regulatory framework” for space, to “get it out of the logic of the market and power alone to be regulated”. He advances: “We will present in the coming days calls for projects for the surveillance of space”.
15 hours. He wants to “concretize a European constellation of connectivity”
Second priority put forward by the French Head of State: the constellation, which will be “during our lives tomorrow.” Europe must take its part “on the issue of constellations, it is a question of sovereignty and efficiency”, in particular to “control our data” and “our connected objects”. It calls for “uniting the forces of the Member States” to “concretize a European constellation of connectivity”. He assured that “France would be at the Union’s rendezvous” in this area, to “offer completely sovereign connectivity solutions”. He considers that this also has a “geopolitical” stake, in particular by proposing an alliance between Europe and Africa.
2:55 p.m. For a “European preference” on the front of “industrial satellites”.
The President now presents his priorities for space. “To ensure our competitiveness and our scientific and industrial sovereignty”, he believes that “we Europeans must build major launcher projects ». In addition to Ariane 6, which opens up “real commercial prospects”, he calls for “applying a European preference” on the front of “industrial satellites”.
“It is more than ever necessary to apply a European preference for the launch of our industrial satellites, as our competitors do. The Chinese do it, the Americans do it,” he observed, calling for “offsetting our own naivety with public funding.” Emmanuel Macron also called for “developing mini and micro-launchers”, as well as “breakthrough projects” in this area, to “target technological breakthrough”.
2:50 p.m. Europe and its “considerable assets”
Considering that “Europe has considerable assets” in this area, Emmanuel Macron assures that “Space is a priority of the French presidency.
“I am delighted to see that the ESA call for young astronauts has met with great success with more than 22,000 applications and 40% of women”.
If he considers that “we continue to embody the vanguard of exploration missions”, provided that they “harmonize”, Emmanuel Macron nevertheless judges that “Europe has lacked strategic turning points, in particular in launchers”, by “underestimating our competitors”. He also observes that “we have fallen behind in space armament”. And if “Europe is very largely absent from this new deal, because we have not sufficiently assumed our spatial vision in recent years”.
2:45 p.m. Emmanuel Macron praises “the space ecosystem” in Toulouse
Emmanuel Macron’s speech has just begun. In the preamble, the president assures his audience that he says he is “very happy to find you in this beautiful region which is dear to me and this beautiful city of Toulouse whose destiny is linked among other things to the space adventure, and to all the successes linked to it”. The Head of State praises the virtues of “mastery of space” and of the “ecosystem” of space, particularly in the Pink City.
2:30 p.m. Watch the President’s speech on video here
the speech by Emmanuel Macron, who currently chairs the Council of the European Union, will start any minute now. Follow him live below.
14 hours. The president is in Compans
The president of the Republic just arrived at the Pierre Baudis congress center in Compans, about fifteen minutes after landing at Toulouse-Blagnac airport, noted our journalist on the spot.
1:30 p.m. Emmanuel Macron will soon arrive
The arrival of the President of the Republic is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Pierre Baudis Congress Center. He will begin his speech at 2:30 p.m. His speech should last between 20 and 30 minutes.
12:50 p.m. End of the morning meeting, time for the family photo
After their meeting, the 27 ministers and Thierry Breton, European commissioner for the internal market, posed for the traditional family photo.
10:45 a.m. What are the topics covered?
Two main themes are currently being discussed during this “informal Competitiveness Council”. The first concerns “space traffic management and the European connectivity constellation project”. Secondly, the ministers will address “the ambitions of the European Space Agency for the protection of space resources and rapid and resilient responses to crisis situations”.
10:20 a.m. The meeting will start
Bruno Le Maire has just joined his European counterparts in the meeting room. Here are his first words:
09:50 a.m. Sweden concludes arrivals
Numerous delegations followed one another, always welcomed by Bruno Le Maire. Sweden was the last to show up.
9:25 a.m. The first words of Bruno Le Maire
The first speech of the day is that of Bruno Le Maire. The Minister explained his expectations: a clear political commitment on the part of the 27 Member States, on the need to have an independent European constellation”.
9:10 a.m. Bruno Le Maire arrived
Bruno the Mayor, Minister of Economy, Finance and Recovery, arrived at the Pierre-Baudis Congress Center. He will receive the delegations.
8:50 a.m. The first delegations expected
The Pierre-Baudis Congress Center will host the first delegations to launch this day placed under the sign of space.
8:30 a.m. The police carry out the first checks
Early this morning, Lascrosses Boulevard was already partially closed to traffic. The police carry out identity checks near the Pierre-Baudis Congress Center, which will be the focal point of the day on February 16.
6:30 a.m. The program of the day
At the Pierre-Baudis Congress Center, the day will start at 9:15 a.m. with the reception of the delegations by the Minister of the Economy Bruno the Mayor. The 26 other ministers of the European Union in charge of space are particularly expected.
They will then reconvene for a meeting of over two hours. Two main themes will be addressed: “the management of space traffic and the European connectivity constellation project” and “the ambitions of the European Space Agency for the protection of space resources and rapid and resilient responses to crisis situations”.
During lunch, participants will discuss space exploration and climate change.
Emmanuel Macron’s arrival is scheduled for 2 p.m. The President of the Republic will then take the floor, around 2:30 p.m., for a speech of about forty minutes. The tenant of the Elysée, who has not yet formalized his candidacy for the presidential election, will then return to the airport to return to Paris.
From 3:10 p.m. to 5:20 p.m., a Ministerial Council of the European Space Agency is scheduled to address three themes: accelerating the use of space in Europe, climate change and space exploration.
The day will end with a joint press conference by Bruno Le Maire, Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency.
6:00 a.m. Transport disrupted
In addition to pedestrian and car traffic which is prohibited on part of Lascrosse Boulevard (see map below), access to the station Metro “Compans Caffarelli” (line B) is closed. The station will not be serviced during the establishment of the perimeter. Another disturbance at the “Canal du Midi” station (line B) where access is only from the side of the police station, boulevard de l’Embouchure.
On the side of bus, the Airport shuttle and bus lines L1, L9, 15, 23, 29, 31, 39, 45, 63 and 70 are diverted from 7 a.m. These diversions should facilitate connections with lines A and B of the metro, indicates Tisseo.
the Indigo car park at Place de l’Europe will also not be accessible for a good part of the day:
The taxi ranks and VeloToulouse will also be inaccessible this Wednesday, February 16:
5:30 a.m. Two security perimeters set up
For this official trip, two security zones have been set up for Wednesday, February 16 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by prefectural decree, the red security zone (traffic prohibited except for residents, accredited persons/persons with a “compelling reason” ) being located inside the orange security zone (filtering zone where checks by law enforcement are possible). The Compans-Caffarelli district will be completely bunkered between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m..
“Toulousans and people who have to circulate in this district are invited to anticipate their movements and adapt their itinerary if necessary”, indicate the authorities. To find out more, find our dedicated article by clicking here.
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