Marjolijn van Deelen assumed the position of EU Special Envoy for Space in February 2024
following 3,5 years of executing the function of EU Special Envoy for Non-proliferation and
Disarmament.
Her primary mission is to represent the EU in multilateral fora dedicated to space with a focus
on promoting responsible behaviour in space. To that end, she engages with third States
through dialogue and consultations. The Special Envoy also has operational responsibilities as
to the response to possible threats to or through the systems and services deriving from the
EU Space Programme as well as concerning the EU Satellite Centre. She cooperates with
European Commission services and contributes to the development of the security aspects of
the EU Space Programme as well as all other related matters.
Marjolijn van Deelen is a career diplomat of the Netherlands. Before joining the EU External
Action Service (EEAS), she headed the Non-proliferation, Disarmament and Nuclear Affairs
Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands with the title of Ambassador.
She held several posts abroad (to the international organisations in Vienna, at the Dutch
Embassies in Bucharest and San Jose), as well as positions in The Hague (Europe Division,
Middle East Division, UN Division, Development Assistance).
Ms. Van Deelen holds a Masters in Geophysics from the University of Utrecht, the
Netherlands, as well as a BA in Economics from the American University in Washington DC.