The inter-institutional negotiations between the Council of the EU and the European Parliament on the ‘Single European Sky’ are making progress, according to a document published on Tuesday 30 May and obtained by EUROPE. A preliminary agreement was reached at the last trilogue on Wednesday 10 May on Chapter IV of the regulation, concerning network management.
The aim of this overhaul is to rationalise the way in which European airspace is organised and managed, by reforming the air navigation services (ANS) sector. The aim is to increase the efficiency of air traffic management (see EUROPE 12993/7).
The two institutions have decided to strengthen the network’s functions. Thus, as the Council wished, the compromise text stipulates that “the implementation of the network functions [...] shall be without prejudice to Member States’ sovereignty over their airspace and to their requirements relating to public order, public security and defence matters”.
And, as the European Parliament wanted, an environmental component has been added. The text was amended as follows: “Various climate and environmental elements should also be taken into account when optimising flight trajectories and flight profiles, in order to reduce emissions and air pollutants. A methodology on how to take into account those various elements and their interdependencies should be developed in particular when designing performance indicators”.
With regard to the system operator, the compromise stipulates that “the Commission [...] shall appoint an independent, impartial and competent body to carry out the tasks of the Network Manager”. The mandate of Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, could be renewed, but subject to conditions.
The manager’s list of tasks has also been revised to include: - draw up a network operating plan and a strategic network plan; - support the design and coordination of the use of airspace structures; - facilitate the delegation of the provision of air traffic services; - coordinate and support the provision of air traffic control capacity, etc.
Finally, as requested by the Council, a network management board will be set up “to ensure appropriate governance of the execution of the network’s functions”. It will be responsible for approving or endorsing the measures taken or proposed by the network operator. It will be made up of voting and non-voting members, and will include representatives of the operational stakeholders, representatives of the Commission, representatives of the network manager and representatives of Eurocontrol.
Read the document: https://aeur.eu/f/78c (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)