Brussels, 23/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Eurocontrol, the European civil aviation safety organisation, said on Monday 23 May that the eruption of the Grimsvötn volcano in Iceland is not expected, at this stage, to have any significant impact on flights in Europe. There is a risk, however, that some of the ash cloud might reach parts of northern Europe within the next 48 hours, Eurocontrol advised, basing its warning on forecasts from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) in London. Everything will depend on the weather conditions and the continuing activity of the volcano, it said. The EU has activated the European Aviation Crisis Communication Cell (EACCC). The EACCC, which was set up following the volcanic ash crisis in April of last year (see EUROPE 10221), brings together representatives of Eurocontrol, the European Commission, the European Aviation Safety Agency, the industry and national experts to ensure that decisions taken by national aviation authorities in Europe are coordinated and to limit the impact of decisions on closing national air space. The Grimsvötn volcano began erupting on Saturday 21 May and was continuing on Monday to spew out ash which was falling and enshrouding a large part of the island. The Icelandic authorities decided for security reasons on Saturday to close the country's airspace. Last year, the eruption of the Eyafjalakul volcano in Iceland led a number of EU member states to close their airspace, resulting in the some of the worst disruption of air traffic in Europe since the Second World War. (A.By./transl.rt)