The European Commission referred Greece, Malta and Slovakia to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on Friday 15 July for failing to provide and operate data link services to operators of aircraft flying in the airspace under their responsibility.
Data link systems are used for the transmission of information between aircraft and air traffic controllers.
They increase the efficiency of communications between pilots and controllers, thereby enhancing air traffic control capability and safety.
While the Commission considers the deployment of this technology to be of paramount importance, it found that Greece, Malta and Slovakia had contravened the EU Regulation (29/2009) that sets out the requirements for data link services for the Single European Sky.
In particular, the regulation requires each Member State to take measures to ensure that air traffic service providers are able to provide and operate such data link services.
Despite the opening of an infringement proceeding in May 2020 and the sending of reasoned opinions to the three countries in question in July 2021, the deadline for air traffic service providers to operate data link services has expired, forcing the Commission to refer the matter to the EU Court of Justice. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)