Brussels, 16/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - The Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking's future has now been guaranteed until 2024. This undertaking is responsible for the Single European Sky's technical development and has achieved strong results. Thus, on Monday 16 June, the Council agreed to amend its regulation so the joint undertaking's activities can continue. Of the total budget of €3.7 billion for the public-private partnership over the period 2007-2024, the European Union contribution is about €1.3 billion. European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas was delighted that the member states had confirmed SESAR's future, which will “provide Europe's aviation sector with many more forward-looking ways of tackling and solving the challenges it faces”. He also noted that solutions created by SESAR offer new business opportunities to benefit Europe's society and wider economy and that what SESAR produces and provides is not only vital for the Single European Sky (SES) to achieve its ambitious goals, but also for the EUROPE 2020 growth strategy for a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. (MD)