Brussels, 03/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament supports the creation of a single European sky by 31 December 2004, but opposes Council on how this should be done. By approving reports by Giovanni Fava (PES, Italy) and Marieke Sanders-ten Holte (EDLR, Netherlands) on the legislative "single sky" package, last Thursday at the plenary session in Strasbourg (second reading), Parliament has reintroduced several amendments which had been adopted at first reading, but which Council had rejected as they changed its common positions considerably. The institutions will have to meet in conciliation to reach agreement.
The Fava report on the proposed regulation setting a framework for creating a single European sky. Whereas, in its common position, Council indicated that the regulation would not apply to military exercises and operations, Parliament is demanding greater co-operation between civil and military users, particularly in the "single sky committee". It also believes that Eurocontrol should take part in the committee's work, with observer status. Lastly, the Parliament also wants: - a consultative body made up of representatives from the aviation sector (airspace users' associations, competent bodies for airline security, the aeronautical industry) to advise the Commission on the technical aspects of creating the single European sky; - a scale of penalties to be applied in case of non-respect of the regulation's provisions; - the Commission to take account of economic and social aspects, and the impact of liberalisation on employment, when it submits its assessment report to Council and Parliament.
The Sanders-ten Holte report on:
(1) a proposed regulation on the supply of air navigation services in the single European sky. Parliament wants: - Community harmonisation of procedures on the selection, training, assessment and granting of licences to controllers, in order to combat the shortage of air-traffic controllers; - mutual recognition of licences; - certificates to be granted for between five and ten years, and to specify rights and obligations of services providers, particularly as regards security; - cross-subsidies only to be granted to different service providers exceptionally. Parliament also refuses to delay the entry into force of the provisions on certification and appointments of service providers, as requested by Council.
(2) a proposed regulation on the organisation and use of airspace in the single European sky. Parliament insists that: - the project to create uniform and functional blocks of airspace be managed by Eurocontrol; - European Upper Flight Information Region (EUIR)" be created within five years after the regulation enters into force; - five years after the creation of EUIR, the Commission proposes the creation of a Lower Flight Information Region; - an arbitration procedure be defined, to settle disputes between Member States on the definition of functional airspace blocks; - the structuring, division and classification of airspace, plus route planning, be done centrally; - civil and military management of space and of air traffic be fully integrated, and that Member States guarantee the full integration of air defence activities into airspace management. Member States will be able to request a flight plan for all military flights entering airspace for which they have appointed providers of navigation services.
(3) a proposed regulation on the interoperability of the European network of air traffic management. Parliament has brought back the time-table originally proposed by the Commission to bring systems and new and existing components into conformity with the requirements of the proposal.