The article provides an overview of the impact the policy framework for space activities has on commercial activities in Europe. It shows that the development of a space policy framework on the European level has, from the beginning, aimed at furthering commercial space activities and strengthening the European space industry. The article first looks at the efforts on the European level to strengthen space commerce, before the adoption of the European Space Policy by the European Space Council in May 2007. It then details the relevant provisions in the European Space Policy and finally looks at the most recent policy objectives regarding space commerce developed in response to the financial and economic crises, in particular the European Economic Recovery Plan and its call for a European Plan for Innovation of December 2008. This last is the most substantive - reflecting on the latest decisions by the European Space Council of May 2009.