French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a bolder European space policy, warning that Europe’s sovereignty is at stake if it falls behind rival powers in a key field for technology, science and military competitiveness, AP reported.

Speaking at a meeting in Toulouse, Macron noted that recent events have shown how important it is to be able to track the movements of troops from orbit. "There is no complete power or autonomy without controlling space," Macron said. "Without it you cannot conquer new frontiers or even control your own."

Europe has extensive experience launching satellites for telecommunications, global positioning services and scientific research. But it lags behind competitors such as the United States, Russia and China in manned spaceflight, unable to launch its own crewed missions.

The head of the European Space Agency last month backed calls to develop its own crewed spacecraft, although member states have yet to approve.

Macron said Europe needs to consider whether it wants to pursue that path, and if so, what the goal should be. One option would be to follow the United States in aiming for Mars, while another would be to focus on a replacement for the ageing International Space Station.

With hundreds of thousands of jobs tied to the space industry, Macron warned that Europe faces tough competition not just from major powers but also emerging rivals such as India and private companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX.