Brussels, 22/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 22 January, further to preparations for the second Single European Sky (SES II) legislative package (see EUROPE 8603), the European Commission organised a conference entitled “Towards a more performing European aviation system - Single Sky Conference”, to be attended by all those in the sector. The package, to be presented in June 2008, will seek to give impetus to the establishment of a harmonised air traffic control system in Europe. Successful operation, governance and technology will be its three fundamental levels, said Daniel Calleja, Director of the Civil Aviation Department within DG TREN, presenting the broad lines of the package on behalf of the Commission on Tuesday.
Operational performance. As Jacques Barrot said when he spoke of the package before the European Parliament transport committee last September, it will be a matter of introducing into the current legislation a performance-related approach and an independent revision mechanism (see EUROPE 9495). It would first of all apply to the efficient operation of flights (reducing delays) by improving the architecture of the air network and ensuring that better use is made of air routes. A network manager will coordinate the work. The Commission also foresees establishing a new package of buffer dates to speed up the setting into place of “operational airspace blocs”, air traffic entities set up according to aviation's operational needs irrespective of national borders. These measures will be adopted in 2010 and they will be put into effect in 2012.
Governance. The second package should confirm the key role to be played by the EU in managing air traffic. The Commission will set out legislation in this field. The areas of responsibility of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) could be extended to the certification of airports, navigation activities and air traffic management, with Eurocontrol (the European Organisation fort the safety of Air Navigation) could be reformed to better respond to the needs of the single aviation market. The second package is likely also to consider issues related to cooperation and harmonisation of the civil and military sections of national air space.
In terms of technology, better interoperability of managements systems has to be ensured. The SESAR programme (the technical chapter of the Single Sky) and the January 2007 action plan for airports (see EUROPE 9350) set out the criteria for this technological development. The second package is expected to be presented by the Commission in June 2008. (A.By.)