Member States and stakeholders need to do more to ensure the Single European Sky becomes a reality
The report published by the Commission on the implementation of the Single European Sky legislation shows concerns relate to insufficient steps towards cross-border air navigation service provision and the lack of interoperability of air navigation systems, among others.
The European Commission published a report entitled "Time to deliver" on the implementation of the Single European Sky legislation, which concludes that more is still required to achieve full and timely implementation of the first package of legislation adopted in 2004. The main concerns relate to insufficient steps towards cross-border air navigation service provision, the lack of interoperability of air navigation systems and the lack of resources for national supervisory authorities as well as their low level of activity in monitoring the air navigation service providers.
In particular, the Commission identified in particular three areas of concern: the lack of resources for National Supervisory Authorities leading to a low leve of monitoring activities of air navigation service providers should be addressed swiftly; there remains a considerable lack of interoperability of air navigation systems leading to higher costs, barriers to the mobility of air traffic controllers and missed opportunities due to fragmented equipment markets; and the establishment of Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs), a concept of consolidation of service provision regardless of national borders. The project was launched in April 2011 to improve air traffic over Central Europe.
The Single European Sky was launched with the adoption of a first package of legislation in 2004 (SES I) and followed up with a second package (SES II) in 2009. Although the Member States and stakeholders have already done a significant amount of work in the wake of the first package, there still remain many other measures that will need to be implemented. As regards the second package, its successful delivery now relies, according to the Commission, on the timely implementation of its different components.