Airspace and traffic

Air traffic management: Organisation and use of airspace in the Single European Sky

Despite the disappearance of land frontiers, airspace frontiers nevertheless still exist. For this reason, the European Commission adopted, on 10 October 2001, a package of measures on air traffic management with a view to establishing the single European sky by the end of 2004. The objective is to put an end to the fragmentation of European Union (EU) airspace and to create an efficient and safe airspace without frontiers. In order to ensure that the Single European Sky is an airspace without frontiers, the Commission proposes in the regulation on the organisation and management of airspace to set up a unique flight information region by merging all the national regions into a single portion of airspace within which air traffic services will be provided according to the same rules and procedures.

Regulation (EC) No 551/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the organisation and use of the airspace in the single European sky (the airspace Regulation) [See amending act(s)].

The regulation is part of a package of legislation on air traffic management to establish the single European sky as of 31 December 2004. This objective will help to optimise the use of European airspace, reducing delays and promoting the growth of air transport.

The creation of the Single Sky seeks to:

increase air traffic control capacity: until 2000 air traffic increased at a rate of approximately 5% per year. Although the growth rate has slowed in the last two years, the medium-term forecasts are for a significant increase in traffic.
improve safety: The same levels of discipline are not observed in air traffic control in all EU countries with regard to the systems and procedures used to guarantee safety levels or ensuring that such measures are applied;
reduce the fragmentation of air traffic control: Differences in rules and organisation and varying national approaches to air traffic management lead to inconsistencies and shortcomings which have an adverse effect on the efficient running of the internal air transport market;
improve the integration of military systems into the organisation of air traffic control;
facilitate the introduction of new technology.

The ultimate objective is to enable Europeans to make journeys in a single European sky without frontiers, while maintaining the highest levels of air safety.

European upper flight information region (EUIR)

Under the Chicago Convention, the concept of Flight Information regions (FIRs) defines homogenous regions of airspace, which should efficiently cover air route structures. Up to now, air frontiers have been fixed by reference to land and sea frontiers. Against this background, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recommends that the delineation of internal airspace should be related to the need for efficient service rather than to national boundaries.

Accordingly, the Single European Sky arrangements provide for a single European upper flight information region (EUIR). The EUIR encompasses the upper airspace falling under the responsibility of the EU countries and, where appropriate, will include adjacent airspace of European countries that are not EU members.

The creation of a single flight information region in upper airspace will enable this space to be reconfigured into delimited control areas without regard to national frontiers, thereby ensuring the more efficient use of airspace, systems and personnel.

To harmonise aeronautical information within the area of the EUIR, steps will be taken to ensure the creation of a single source for the publication of such information, taking account of relevant ICAO requirements. The Commission is responsible for ensuring the development of an aeronautical information infrastructure in the form of an electronic integrated briefing portal with unrestricted access to interested stakeholders.

Network management and design

In order to support initiatives both on a national level and on the level of functional airspace blocks, the air traffic management network functions will allow optimum use of airspace and ensure that airspace users can operate preferred trajectories, while permitting maximum access to airspace and air navigation services.

Flexible use of airspace

As regards the use of airspace for military purposes, the Commission recommends the adoption of criteria permitting the application, first of all in upper airspace and then in lower airspace, of the concept of flexible use of airspace, as devised by Eurocontrol. The Commission urges EU countries and Eurocontrol to take appropriate measures to ensure uniform application of the provisions governing civil-military air traffic service provision.

Coordination will be increased between the civilian and military authorities, in particular for the allocation and efficient use of airspace for military purposes, including the criteria and principles which should govern allocation and use, and in particular access for civilian flights.

A safeguard clause will enable EU countries to request the suspension of the application of the Community rules in the event of conflict with national military requirements.

REFERENCES

Regulation (EC) No 551/2004

Regulation (EC) No 1070/2009

Successive amendments and corrections to Regulation (EC) No 551/2004 have been incorporated in the basic text. This consolidated version is for reference purposes only.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 255/2010 of 25 March 2010 laying down common rules on air traffic flow management [Official Journal L 80 of 26.3.2010].

Communication from the Commission of 20 December 2007 – First Report on the implementation of the Single Sky Legislation: achievements and the way forward. [ COM(2007) 845 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

Commission Regulation (EC) No 730/2006 of 11 May 2006 on airspace classification and access of flights operated under visual flight rules above flight level 195 [Official Journal L 128 of 16.5.2006].

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2150/2005 of 23 December 2005 laying down common rules for the flexible use of airspace [Official Journal L 342 of 24.12.2005].

Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 laying down the framework for the creation of the single European sky (the framework Regulation) [Official Journal L 96 of 31.3.2004].

Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the provision of air navigation services in the single European sky (the service provision Regulation) [Official Journal L 96 of 31.3.2004].

Regulation (EC) No 552/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the interoperability of the European Air Traffic Management network (the interoperability Regulation) [Official Journal L 96 of 31.3.2004].

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament of 1 December 1999: The creation of the single European sky [ COM(1999) 614 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Accelerating the implementation of the Single European Sky [ COM(2013)408 of 11.6.2013]. Based on an analysis contained in this Communication and the associated impact assessment, the Commission is proposing a legislative package (SES2+) to consolidate and where possible accelerate the process of reform of ATM in Europe, by further addressing the inefficiencies in the supply of air navigation services and by continuing to drive towards the defragmentation of the European ATM system. The legislative proposals build on, and do not supplant, previous reforms in the sector. They should result in a more efficient integrated operating airspace in the future.

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the implementation of the Single European Sky [ COM(2013)410 final of 11.6.2013].

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 in the field of aerodromes, air traffic management and air navigation services [ COM(2013)409 final of 11.6.2013 – not published in the Official Journal].

New generation European air traffic management system (SESAR)

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EC) No 219/2007 setting up a Joint Undertaking to develop the EU’s air traffic management system (SESAR)

It sets up the SESAR (Single European Sky Air Traffic Management (ATM) Research) project.
SESAR aims to improve ATM performance by modernising and harmonising Europe’s ATM systems through the definition, development, validation and deployment of innovative technological and operational ATM solutions.

The SESAR Joint Undertaking (JU) is a public-private partnership in charge of the development phase of the SESAR project. It was founded in 2007 by the European Union and Eurocontrol, the European organisation for the safety of air navigation.

KEY POINTS ABOUT SESAR JU

It is a Joint Undertaking in charge of the development phase of the SESAR project, the technological (research and development — R & D) component of the Single European Sky (SES), a package of EU measures designed to meet future capacity and air safety needs.

It is tasked to provide, in accordance with the ATM master plan, the EU with a high performance air traffic control infrastructure by 2035. This is to enable safer, more environmentally friendly and efficient air transport: i.e. more direct trips using less fuel and fewer delays.

It involves the European Commission, Eurocontrol, navigation service providers, air passenger organisations, airspace users, regulators, airport operators, airline, airport and air traffic navigation staff, scientists and equipment manufacturers (around 3 000 experts). The JU is a EU body created for this purpose under Article 187 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

It has already delivered an ATM master plan (updated in 2012 and 2015) defining the content, the development and deployment plans for the next generation of ATM systems.
It manages the procedures for the award of grants to its members, in line with the rules for participation in the EU’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for R & D, following its extension in 2014.

SESAR JU’s achievements to date include:

the world’s first flight in 4 dimensions (3D + time) to enhance end-to-end trajectory information exchange;
an extensive toolkit to increase safety on airport runways and
free routing to reduce flight and fuel emissions.

From 2014 on, SESAR JU’s Research and Innovation (R & I) programme’s focus is on areas such as:

optimised ATM network service;
advanced air traffic services;
high-performing airport operations;
advanced, integrated and rationalised aviation infrastructure.
Funding

The EU’s contribution for the SESAR development phase is €700 million under TEN-T and FP7 programmes, complemented by €585 million under the Horizon 2020 programme. In order to take into account the duration of Horizon 2020, all SESAR’s calls for proposals must be launched by 31 December 2020.

ACTS

Council Regulation (EC) No 219/2007 of 27 February 2007 on the establishment of a Joint Undertaking to develop the new generation European air traffic management system (SESAR) (OJ L 64, 2.3.2007, pp. 1–11)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 219/2007 have been incorporated in the basic text. This consolidated version is for reference purposes only.

Council Regulation (EC) No 219/2007 created the SESAR JU. The regulation has been amended twice, in 2008 (Regulation (EC) No 1361/2008) and again in 2014 (Regulation (EU) No 721/2014), when the duration of the SESAR JU was extended until 2024.It entered into force on 3 March 2007.

Air traffic flow management

Regulation (EU) No 255/2010 – common rules on air traffic flow management

It aims to lay down measures regarding air traffic flow management (ATFM) to optimise available capacity in the use of airspace and enhance ATFM processes.
The uniform application of specific rules and procedures within the airspace of the single European sky is critical to achieve the optimum use of available air traffic control capacity, through the efficient management and operation of the ATFM function.

KEY POINTS

The regulation applies:

within the airspace of the single European sky as laid out in Regulation (EC) No 551/2004 on air traffic management and affects
all flights intended to operate or operating as general air traffic and in accordance with the instrument flight rules*
air traffic management;
to the following parties involved in ATFM processes
aircraft operators
air traffic service units
aeronautical information services
entities involved in airspace management
airport managing bodies
central unit for ATFM
local ATFM units
slot coordinators of coordinated airports*.

The planning, coordination and execution of the ATFM measures undertaken by the above list of parties must be in accordance with the provisions laid out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

EU countries must ensure that:

the ATFM function is constantly available to the above list of parties involved in the ATFM processes;
the definition and implementation of ATFM measures complies with national security and defence requirements of individual EU countries.
General obligations of air traffic services (ATS) units

ATS units must coordinate – through the local ATFM unit – with the central unit for ATFM when applying an ATFM measure, to ensure that the selected measure will optimise the overall performance of the European Air Traffic Management network (EATMN)*.
ATS units must inform the central unit for ATFM of all events that may affect air traffic control capacity or air traffic demand.

ATS units must also provide the central unit for ATFM with various information and subsequent updates, including among other things:
availability of airspace and route structures;
air traffic control sector and airport capacities;
route availability;
deviations from flight plans;
airspace availability.

The full list of data must be made available to the above list of parties involved in ATFM processes and provided free of charge to, and by, the central unit for ATFM.

General obligations of operators

Any relevant ATFM measures and changes to filed flight plans must be included in the planned flight operation and the pilot must be notified. When a flight plan is suspended because the ATFM departure slot cannot be met, the operator concerned must arrange for updating or cancelling the flight plan.

Consistency between flight plans and airport slots

EU countries must ensure that, on request by an airport slot coordinator or managing body of a coordinated airport, the central unit for ATFM or the local ATFM unit provides them with the agreed flight plan of a flight operating at that airport, before the flight.

Critical events

EU countries must ensure the creation and publication of ATFM procedures for the management of critical events to minimise disruption to the EATMN.
To prepare for critical events, ATS units and airport managing bodies will coordinate the contingency procedures with the operators affected by such events.

Monitoring of ATFM compliance

EU countries must ensure that airports adhere to ATFM departure slots. Where the adherence is 80% or less during a year, the ATS units at the airport concerned must detail the actions taken to ensure future adherence.
The ATS unit at an airport is also responsible for providing the appropriate information on any failure to adhere to flight plan rejections or suspensions at that airport and to detail the actions taken to ensure future compliance.

It has applied since 26 September 2011.

BACKGROUND

Instrument flight rules: rules which allow properly equipped aircraft to be flown under instrument meteorological conditions (detailed in ICAO Annex 2: Rules of the Air, Chapter 5: Instrument Flight Rules).

Coordinated airport: an airport with a high level of congestion where demand exceeds capacity during the relevant period and where, in order to land or take off, it is necessary for an air carrier to have a slot allocated by a coordinator.
European Air Traffic Management network: the collection of systems enabling air navigation services in the EU to be provided, including the interfaces at the EU’s external boundaries.

DOCUMENTS

Commission Regulation (EU) No 255/2010 of 25 March 2010 laying down common rules on air traffic flow management (OJ L 80, 26.3.2010, pp. 10-16)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 255/2010 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.