SpaceMiningData
Non-binding guidanceInternationalProposed

UN COPUOS Legal Subcommittee Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities (draft initial recommended principles)

Intergovernmental working group of the UN COPUOS Legal Subcommittee mandated to develop a set of initial recommended principles for space resource activities. As of September 2026 it has produced only drafts: a consolidated draft set of non-binding principles was issued in July 2026; nothing has been adopted by COPUOS or the General Assembly.

Facts

Level
Non-binding guidance
Scope
International
Citation
Mandate and terms of reference: A/76/20, annex III; five-year workplan: A/AC.105/1260, annex II, appendix; 2026 reports: A/AC.105/C.2/2026/SRA/L.1 and Add.1; A/81/20 paras. 98-100
Adopted
2021
Status
ProposedCOPUOS report A/81/20 (June 2026 session) records that a consolidated draft would be prepared and the WG reconvened in 2027 under its 2023-2027 workplan; the UNOOSA WG page lists the 'Consolidated Draft Set of Initial Recommended Principles' dated July 2026. The workplan targets finalization for consensus agreement in 2027.

Resource provisions

A paraphrase followed by the source wording.

Draft only (July 2026 consolidated draft): would affirm that the international space law regime applies to space resource activities, that the principles are non-binding and create no new rights or obligations, that nothing authorizes national appropriation, and (draft Principle 2(D)) that extraction in compliance with the OST 'does not inherently constitute national appropriation'. These are proposals under negotiation, not adopted text.

Recognizing that these Principles are non-binding and do not create new legal rights or obligations [4]

Drafts and outputs

Checked 2026-09-25.

DateOutputStatus
2025-03-27Initial draft set of recommended principles (Note by the Vice-Chair, A/AC.105/C.2/L.339)draft
2026-04-28Updated drafts by the Chair and Vice-Chair (versions dated 7 July 2025 through 28 April 2026)draft
2026-07Consolidated Draft Set of Initial Recommended Principles for Space Resource Activitiesdraft, circulated to States members

Open evidence gaps

  • The draft principles are subject to change; no text has been agreed by consensus, adopted by COPUOS, or endorsed by the General Assembly.
  • Exact date the working group was first established (Legal Subcommittee 2021 session; mandate in A/76/20 annex III) not confirmed from the report text itself.

Sources

10 sources
  1. [1]Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities
    UNOOSAGovernment recordAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary, resource provisions
    Develop a set of initial recommended principles for such activities, taking into account the need to ensure that they are carried out in accordance with international law and in a safe, sustainable, rational and peaceful manner, for the consideration of and consensus agreement by the Committee, followed by possible adoption by the General Assembly as a dedicated resolution or other action
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  2. [2]Working Group page - consolidated draft listing
    UNOOSAGovernment recordAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: status
    Consolidated Draft Set of Initial Recommended Principles for Space Resource Activities July 2026
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  3. [3]Working Group page - 2027 workplan
    UNOOSAGovernment recordAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: status, missing evidence
    2027: (a) Finalization of a set of initial recommended principles for such activities for the consideration of and consensus agreement by the Committee
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  4. [4]Consolidated draft set of initial recommended principles for space resource activities (July 2026)
    UNOOSA / Chair and Vice-Chair of the Working GroupGovernment recordPublished 2026-07Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: resource provisions, statuspage 1
    Recognizing that these Principles are non-binding and do not create new legal rights or obligations
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  5. [5]Consolidated draft - Principle 2(D)
    UNOOSA / Chair and Vice-Chair of the Working GroupGovernment recordPublished 2026-07Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: resource provisionsarticle Draft Principle 2(D), page 3
    The extraction of space resources in compliance with the Outer Space Treaty does not inherently constitute national appropriation of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  6. [6]A/AC.105/C.2/2026/SRA/L.1/Add.1 - Report of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Working Group (continued), 20 April 2026
    UN COPUOS Legal SubcommitteeGovernment recordPublished 2026-04-20Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: statuspage 1
    The Working Group agreed to continue its work on the development of the draft set of initial recommended principles for space resource activities, while striving to achieve a greater common understanding and identifying areas of convergence.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  7. [7]A/AC.105/C.2/2026/SRA/L.1 - Report of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Working Group, 15 April 2026
    UN COPUOS Legal SubcommitteeGovernment recordPublished 2026-04-15Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summarypage 1
    reconvened the Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities, with Steven Freeland (Australia) as Chair and Ayman Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed (Egypt) as Vice-Chair
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  8. [8]A/81/20 - Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, sixty-ninth session (10-18 June 2026)
    United Nations General AssemblyGovernment recordPublished 2026-08-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: statusarticle para. 100, page 21
    the Committee noted that a consolidated draft set of initial recommended principles for space resource activities would be prepared by the Chair and the Vice-Chair of the Working Group
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  9. [9]A/81/20 - para. 99 (workplan period)
    United Nations General AssemblyGovernment recordPublished 2026-08-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summaryarticle para. 99, page 21
    under the five-year workplan of the Working Group for the period 2023-2027
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  10. [10]Working Group page - mandate reference
    UNOOSAGovernment recordAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: citation, adopted date
    Mandate, terms of reference, and workplan and methods of work of the Working Group ( A/76/20 , Annex III)
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.