On Thursday 11 December, the European Commission decided to refer Greece to the Court of Justice of the European Union for incomplete implementation of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1048 laying down airspace usage requirements and operating procedures concerning performance-based navigation.
The Commission criticises Greece for failing to publish these performance-based navigation procedures, required for 44 runway ends, which should have been published by December 2020. Every runway has two ends, depending on the direction a pilot is heading when using a runway. Implementing the Regulation brings benefits in terms of safety, capacity, the environment and cost-efficiency. The use of modern technologies and procedures in air traffic management improves safety and provides better tools for air traffic controllers and pilots.
According to the Commission, the implementation of these missing procedures will provide pilots with vertical guidance that will improve their situational awareness and increase safety and airport accessibility, especially in low visibility conditions. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)