Highlights of ESA rules and regulations
The following regulations have been adopted by ESA. Links to the documents are provided below.
ESA Procurement Regulations and related Implementing Instructions
The purpose of ESA Procurement Regulations and their annexes is to regulate the procurement for the execution of the Agency's activities and programmes, in accordance with the ESA industrial policy objectives set out in Article VII of its Convention and Annex V thereto.
General Clauses and Conditions for ESA Contracts
The General Clauses and Conditions (GCC) of the European Space Agency (ESA) apply to contracts placed by ESA.
Security Regulations
The attached Security Regulations of the European Space Agency apply to the Agency, its Member States, its staff and, under certain conditions, to its contracting personnel and to its contractors.
ESA Financial Regulations
The Financial Regulations constitute together with Annex II to the Convention the basic legal instrument for the Agency’s financial framework, including planning and funding financial control, treasury and cost management, accounting, controlling and internal and external auditing.
Policy on the Prevention, Detection and Investigation of Fraud
ESA aims to prevent fraud and corruption both internally and in the frame of its business relationships with its partners through its ESA Guiding Principle and robust control system in place.
The Policy on the Prevention, Detection and Investigation of Fraud addresses both ESA internal employees and external partners, persons and entities. This policy shall therefore be known by everybody working at or with ESA.
Policy on Reporting Unwanted Conduct and Investigating Harassment at ESA
It is the Agency’s Policy to protect the dignity of every person working at ESA against any form of unwanted conduct and harassment as well as to implement preventive measures conducive of a respectful workplace. This Policy is also to introduce a fair and transparent procedure to deal with the reporting of unwanted conduct and occurrences of harassment.
Policy on Facilitation and Mediation at ESA
It is the Agency’s policy to introduce informal mechanisms (Facilitation and Mediation) allowing the resolution of interpersonal disputes within the Agency.
The present Instruction applies to all cases of interpersonal dispute in the workplace.
Additional Rules on Arbitration
The arbitration procedure provided for by Article XVII of the Convention shall be carried out in accordance with this Article and with the provisions of the Additional Rules on Arbitration.
ESA Staff Regulations and Rules
The Staff Regulations and Rules apply to staff appointed pursuant to Article XII.3 of the Convention for the establishment of the European Space Agency. They do not apply to personnel governed by local labour legislation or to experts and consultants except in so far as may be provided for in the rules applicable to them or in the terms of their employment.
Rules on Information, Data and Intellectual Property
These Rules are designed to promote access to Information and Data and use of Intellectual Property resulting from Agency activities, while fully taking into account the provisions of the Convention and the interests of the Member States and of Persons and Bodies under their Jurisdiction.
Industrial Policy Rules and Regulations
ESA’s industrial policy is in particular designed to a) meet the requirements of space programmes in a cost effective manner; b) improve the world-wide competitiveness of European industry; c) ensure equitable participation among Member States, having regard to their financial contribution and to d) exploit the advantages of free competitive bidding.
ESA Council may adopt industrial policy rules and regulations for the attainment of these objectives which are issued here.
Personal Data Protection Framework
The European Space Agency collects and/or processes personal data concerning various individuals, in particular – but not only – ESA Staff members and personnel engaged by ESA contractors and their subcontractors. The Agency is subject to a Personal Data Protection framework composed of the following elements:
- The Principles of Personal Data Protection adopted by ESA Council on 13 June 2017
- The Rules of Procedure for the Data Protection Supervisory Authority adopted by ESA Council on 13 June 2017
- The Policy on Personal Data Protection (including its Annex “Governance Scheme of the Agency’s Personal Data Protection”) adopted by Director General of ESA on 1 March 2022