Brussels, 04/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - EU transport ministers, in Brussels for an extraordinary Council meeting on Tuesday 4 May, stated their desire to speed up implementation of the “Single Sky” and for increased European-level coordination of action in the event of major crises affecting transport. Technical discussions, to define this coordinated approach and especially the responsibilities of the central manager of the European network, will continue with the aim of reaching more concrete decisions at the next Transport Council on 24 June. At the moment, the Council has approved the immediate setting up of a crisis coordination unit and the appointment “without delay” of a functional air blocks (FABs) coordinator. The Council also decided on a series of technical measures, which include the establishment of binding limit values for concentrations of volcanic ash in the airspace (see EUROPE 10127).
“I am convinced that we have taken a huge step forward. … We have set in motion the mechanisms already provided for in the Single Sky from the European airspace perspective,” said Spanish Minister of Public Works and Transport José Blanco López after the Council, highlighting that the two weeks which followed the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano allowed the “essential” to be done. European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas welcomed the Council's success in achieving “concrete conclusions” in so short a time, although, he said, “it is not about putting in place a supranational authority. Only ensuring that there are mechanisms for coordinating” the decisions.
Single Sky. The Council called on the member states and European institutions to take a series of measures to speed up and anticipate the full implementation of the Single European Sky. It supported the “immediate” creation of a crisis coordination unit, as proposed by the European Commission in the package of measures presented on Tuesday 27 April. Council also confirmed its support for a swifter implementation of nine FABs, and the appointment without delay of a coordinator on this. French Transport Secretary Dominique Bussereau announced that France had undertaken to sign the FAB treaty before the end of the Belgian Presidency of the EU (second half of 2010). Member states also agreed to grant responsibility for managing the European network to Eurocontrol which, as such, will be empowered to coordinate decisions on the network of air routes, management of limited resources, traffic flows and the technological roll out of the SESAR chapter of the Single Sky. The exact extent of its powers is likely still to be detailed (discussions could begin as early as 7 May at the next meeting of the Single Sky committee), but it is possible that this body will have discretionary decision-making powers in some areas. Decisions on closing and opening airspace will, at any event, remain reserved to member states, European experts say. The Council also confirmed that such a body should be set up within this year, as should the extension of the areas of responsibility of the European Aviation Security Agency (EASA) on air traffic management (it will be responsible for issues of security of traffic management), due to take place by 2012. The Council also insisted on the adoption of the performance scheme, which will be the basis for the modernised air traffic management system in the areas of economic, environmental and security efficiency before summer 2010. It insisted, too, on the adoption of a SESAR deployment strategy before the end of the year.
Risk management. The Council asked the Commission to prepare, ahead of the next Transport Council, a new European methodology for evaluating and managing risks governing decisions on the closure and opening of airspace in Europe. These decisions could be taken on the basis of advice from Eurocontrol, the Council says in its conclusions. To increase the coherence of the response system to the future management of crises related to volcanic activity, the Council mandated the relevant authorities (Commission, EASA, volcanic observation centres, etc.) to establish limit values for the concentration of ash in the airspace. In more concrete terms, these limits - established at a uniform level throughout Europe - will make it possible to mark out high-risk areas affected by the cloud of volcanic ash more accurately. A group of experts created by the Commission is expected to establish the inventory of technological and methodological tools for facilitating risk assessment. On the basis of this work, the Commission will be able to present a new European risk management approach with regard to the risks relating to volcanic activity, with a view to its adoption by the general assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) this September.
Compensation and measures to help the sector. Few decisions were taken on the subject of aid to be granted to the sector to possibly offset costs incurred during the period when airspace was closed. A preliminary estimation of these losses is €2.5 billion for the whole sector. In conclusions adopted on Tuesday, the Council simply pointed to the existing legislative framework for granting state aid (Article 107.2). Speaking to the press, Siim Kallas said the final assessment of these costs will be up to member states but that the Commission will examine any request for state aid presented to it in line with its legislation. In discussions on the temporary package of measures presented last week by the Commission (see EUROPE 10131), most delegations also dismissed the idea of introducing a temporary suspension of the payment of fees. The idea of setting up a possible European fund to help the sector was not welcomed either. However, some states put forward the idea of using a mechanism from the European Investment Bank to meet the needs of airlines. Finally, the Council called on the Commission to put forward concrete proposals with a view to developing mobility plans that would be set in place in member states in the event of major traffic disruption in Europe. The Council also invited the Commission to take into consideration the lessons drawn from the “volcano crisis” during the planned review of legislation on air passengers' rights. As recommended by some - and France in particular - certain provisions of this legislation could be made more flexible in the event of flight cancellations or delays due to extraordinary circumstances. (A.By./transl.jl)