Brussels, 28/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The aviation industry calls on the EU to maintain the highest level of funding for research and technology in aerospace and to give the industry the means to develop breakthrough technologies for tomorrow's sustainable air transport. Technologies must be developed and validated within the framework of the SESAR programme (technological chapter of the Single Sky programme aimed at modernising air traffic control in Europe). Requests were put to the EU during the European Aviation Summit organised by the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 October in Bruges. The summit, which brought together some 400 participants from the European aviation sector, also adopted a statement calling for resolute action at European level to maintain the competitiveness of the sector and finalise the setting in place of the Single European Sky.
François Gayet, the secretary general of the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), said during a speech on the tenth day of the summit that it was crucial for the 8th framework programme (currently on the table) to maintain a high level of support for aeronautical research and technology. Appropriate support alone would allow the industry to develop technology that would revolutionise the sustainable development of air transport, Gayet said, while the sector starts from the premise that one should maintain a level of funding at least comparable with the current level, and introduce the theme of aeronautics as a priority into the future framework programme. The industry also encourages the European Commission to secure deployment of the SESAR programme. To this end, it calls for SESAR deployment to be included in the White Paper on transport, for a communication on the strategy for deployment of the programme to be adopted, and for adequate funding of such deployment to be ensured with the private sector. Concrete proposals on governance and the financial architecture of the deployment phase of SESAR are expected during March (see EUROPE 10241).
The “Bruges Declaration” adopted after the summit calls for resolute action to be taken by Europe in the fields of competiveness of the Single European Sky, aviation security and safety, and the sustainable development of air transport. The summit calls among other things for the development of ambitious, binding result targets for the provision of air navigation services, and the setting in place of functional air blocs (FAB) according to schedule (i.e. by 2012), which correspond to the operational needs of air navigation and airlines. From an environmental point of view, the summit also confirms the need to adopt a “holistic” approach based not only on technological innovation but also on improved air traffic management and the continuation of measures based on the market (the ETS system). “A strong European aviation industry is critical to ensure the right to mobility of 500 million European citizens” and it is also vital for the success of a strong European economy, the participants at the summit declared unanimously. The declaration will be presented to the European transport ministers meeting in Council on 2 December. (A.By./transl.jl)