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Single European airspace: now or never

The cost of inefficiency due to non-implementation of the package amounted to  3.7 billion euros in 2011, resulted in a dozen million minutes of delay, too much CO2 pumped into the atmosphere and higher prices for passengers. Status quo or further delays will result in further losses for both society and the aviation industry.

The European Commission has finally realised that there can be no single market without a Single European Sky, said the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in its reaction to the Single European Sky II+ project which was unveiled today.

“The Single European Sky has been lagging for way too long and we are glad to see that the European Commission has finally decided to support the enforcement of its own legislation, using a method which has proven successful for many years in obliging EU Member States to respect the four basic freedoms of the European market: i.e. referring them to the Court”, said Jacek Krawczyk, President of the EESC Employers Group and rapporteur for a number of opinions related to aviation.

The Single European Sky package was agreed almost a decade ago and yet it has not been fully implemented. Plans to create a single airspace have reached a deadlock, having been held hostage by narrow interest groups making profits from air traffic.

The cost of inefficiency due to non-implementation of the package amounted to 3.7 billion euros in 2011, resulted in a dozen million minutes of delay, too much CO2 pumped into the atmosphere and higher prices for passengers. Status quo or further delays will result in further losses for both society and the aviation industry.

The EESC supports better enforcement of timely and substantial SES implementation through penalties for non-compliance, unbundling of ancillary Air Traffic Management services, opening them up to greater competition and market forces, and greater involvement of airspace users.

Unleashing the full potential of the project can be seen as an anti-crisis measure. Improving the efficiency, performance, safety and environment indicators of European Air Traffic Management and bringing them into line with global best practices is essential if European airlines are to compete effectively with key players from the United States and emerging markets.

It is vital to remember that SES is not only a technical regulation. It is a crucial part of the single market that directly concerns individuals, workers and industry alike. The first way to strengthen passenger rights is to give them access to an efficiently and sustainably managed modern air transport market.

Referring to the stalemate in negotiations between employers and trade unions within the aviation industry, the EESC suggests opening up discussions by bringing all relevant actors to the table. The strong leadership of the European Commission in the implementation of the SES package is the key to its success.

IATA: A step towards the Single European Sky
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed European Commission (EC) proposals to strengthen the legislative basis for the Single European Sky (SES).

The EC proposals are in response to the failure of European states to make progress towards the SES and its important goals: an improvement in safety by a factor of ten, a 10% reduction in aviation’s environmental impact, a 50% reduction in air traffic management costs and a three-fold increase in capacity. The efficiencies generated will be a catalyst for jobs and growth-critical to Europe as it struggles to revive its stagnating economy.

“The Commission shares the industry’s frustration with the failure of European states to progress the SES. Every year that SES languishes in limbo is a EUR5 billion knock to European competitiveness and costs the environment 8.1 million tonnes of wasted carbon emissions,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

In February, airspace users (represented by IATA, the Association of European Airlines, and the European Regions Airline Association) published A Blueprint for a Single European Sky (pdf) which set out key SES objectives. These included the establishment of an independent economic regulator; a reduction in Air Traffic Control Centers from 63 to not more than 40; and the modernization of the ATM system.   

The EC proposals include several elements which are well aligned with the Blueprint:

  • The designation of an independent Performance Review Body,
  • The unbundling of support services
  • Greater independence and competence for Civil Aviation Authorities, and
  • The need for more consultation by Air Navigation Service Providers on capital expenditure

“Today’s proposal takes a clear step in the right direction and we look forward to further details. What is missing, however, is the sense of urgency to move these key reforms forward quickly. In some cases, 2020 has been suggested as the deadline. This needs to be advanced. And each element must have a clear deadline,” said Tyler.

IATA noted three specific concerns with the EC proposals:

  • The new performance review body must have strong powers to enforce targets
  • The clearer role definition and enhanced capabilities of aviation authorities must reduce duplication and not increase costs  
  • Changing of the definition of Functional Airspace Block (FAB) to ‘an industrial partnership’ gives rise to concerns that states could avoid prosecution for non-compliance with FAB requirements

IATA also expressed disappointment with strikes and demonstrations called for by the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) in response to this much-needed modernization of European air traffic management.

“Air travelers should not be held hostage by ETF resistance to critical change. The fears of the ETF, which represents only a portion of European air traffic control officers (ATCOs), are completely misguided. Our Blueprint report shows that the SES is a win-win proposition. Reducing delays, cutting emissions, and raising safety levels will create 320,000 jobs across Europe. And it can be achieved without ATCO job losses. Strikes and industrial action are therefore totally unjustified,”said Tyler.

Blueprint Single European Sky

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