Airbus Boss Calls for Industry Overhaul. Faced with competition from SpaceX, Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders says the European launch industry needs a fundamental overhaul to avoid becoming irrelevant.

“I believe we are at a defining moment for Europe’s future in space and Europe’s launcher industry,” Enders said. “We need a major reshuffling of the entire space launcher industry, and not just the industry part but what the government agencies do, in order to make that a profitable healthy business going forward.”

Enders called for more public-private partnerships. NASA used this approach with SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corporation to develop new launchers and cargo ships that serve the International Space Station. Reuters

EU Defers Decision on Deepening ESA Ties: Heeding opposition from Germany and Britain, the European Union’s Competitiveness Council has apparently shelved a proposal that would have turned the European Space Agency into an EU agency. The question of how to deepen cooperation between the two organizations will be studied further.

A key concern involves preserving ESA’s juste retour policy under which nations receive the same proportion of contracts as their contribution to the agency. Germany and Britain want to preserve it; France believes it would benefit more from the EU’s policy of awarded contracts on best value regardless of national origin. Space News

Italian Space Agency Stabilizes: The new president of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Roberto Battiston, said he has helped stabilize the agency’s strategy and budget after his predecessor resigned amid corruption allegations. Battiston’s priorities include upgrades for the Italian-led Vega launch vehicle and ensuring that the ExoMars 2018 program is properly funded. Space News