Brussels, 12/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Brian Simpson, who chairs the parliamentary committee on transport, casts severe judgement on the lack of will shown by member states for setting up a Single European Sky. He welcomes the Commission's promised initiative and sanctions for taking matters forward (see EUROPE 10708), as do the associations representing the interests of airspace users.
Attending the high level conference on Single European Sky alongside the European commissioner, Siim Kallas, Brian Simpson went straight to the point saying “the poor results are unacceptable”. He said his committee was losing confidence in the Council of transport ministers and that MEPs will support the Commission's efforts to get the project back on track, as well as infringement procedures if necessary. This will possibly be the case for member states that have not complied with the 4 December deadline for establishing functional airspace blocks (FABs). At this stage, only two blocks will be able to keep to the deadline set (that between Denmark and Sweden and that between the United Kingdom and Ireland). “But those who fail - take them to Court on 5th December. They signed up, so someone has to bring them to book”, he pressed home during the conference that unfolded in Cyprus on 11 October.
Four associations representing the airspace users' community also support the Commission's ambitions. They are the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), and the International Air Carrier Association (IACA). They mainly regret that they will be the first, with the passengers, to continue to bear costs that should have been reduced through appropriate implementation of the Single European Sky. (MD/transl.jl)