The FCC meeting room. Photo: FCC

The FCC is seeking comment on the issue of international market access for U.S. satellite operators, amid concern from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on the EU Space Act. 

The FCC opened a comment period on March 3, asking for feedback on where satellite market access and reciprocity in foreign countries stands today, and how it is expected to evolve. 

The notice cited that the FCC has a framework to enable non-U.S.-licensed space stations to serve the U.S. market that was established in 1997. And cited that today, Today, approximately one-fourth of the over 200 satellite systems approved by the FCC are licensed by foreign administrations.

Part of the rationale for this comment period is the EU Space Act, which aims to unify European space policy, could put new restrictions on non-European firms for European market access. The law is still under development and not set to take effect until January of 2030. 

The U.S. has filed a response with “deep concerns” about the regulatory burdens the act would put on U.S. companies. 

“For decades, the U.S. has welcomed foreign satellite operators into our market. But restrictions on U.S. operators in other countries have persisted.  And now, new barriers are emerging that constrain U.S. businesses operating abroad, including in the draft E.U. Space Law & their Digital Networks Act,” Carr said in a statement. 

Carr met on Tuesday with European tech and telecom regulators at Mobile World Congress. Carr told Politico that the U.S. will “mirror” the regulatory approach Europe takes, if the EU puts restrictions on non-EU companies. 

“It’s called reciprocity,” Carr said in a statement on X. “And it is revealing to see how strongly Europeans react when told that European businesses operating in the U.S. will be treated the same as American businesses operating in the EU.”