On Wednesday morning, a preliminary agreement was reached between Parliament, led by rapporteurs Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania) and Bogusław Liberadzki (S&D, PL), and Council negotiators on the reform of the Single European Sky rules. After ten years of negotiations, MEPs and the Belgian Council Presidency have agreed on new EU rules to optimise flight routes, reduce flight delays and cut carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.
Better performance
The approved text introduces performance plans for air navigation services to improve the management of the EU airspace network, with binding targets and incentives to make flights more efficient and environmentally friendly. An independent advisory performance review board would be established to assist the Commission and Member States in deciding on the implementation of these plans.
Greener flights
MEPs negotiated provisions to ensure that air navigation services and network management contribute to climate neutrality. Under the new rules, the Commission will adopt EU performance targets for air navigation services on capacity, cost-efficiency, climate and environmental factors. The performance of these services against these targets will be reviewed at least every three years.
Under the agreement, the Commission will have to carry out a study to help define how charges levied on airspace users (airlines or private aircraft operators) for the provision of air navigation services could incentivise them to be more environmentally friendly, for example by using the most economical routes available or alternative clean fuel technologies.
More competition
A key demand of MEPs during the negotiations was to open up the possibility of competition in the market for air navigation services. The new bill includes the possibility for air traffic service providers to procure other air navigation services, such as communication, meteorological or aeronautical information services, on market terms.
Quote:
MEP Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania), rapporteur, said, "Today's agreement marks a shift towards efficiency and sustainability in air traffic management. The current nationalistic airspace architecture hinders progress and leads to longer flights, higher emissions and unnecessary costs. It is high time to finally put efficiency before nationalism and pave the way for safer, more cost-efficient and greener air transport in Europe."
Next steps
The informal agreement on the Single European Sky still needs to be approved by the representatives of the EU Member States and the Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism, and then by the Parliament and the Council as a whole.
Background
In 2013, the Air Navigation Services Commission proposed a revision of the Single European Sky rules, but the file remained with Member States until Brexit, prompting the Commission to update the proposal in 2020. The following year, legislators updated their positions and engaged in trilogue negotiations to agree on a new draft rule.
europarl.europa.eu/gnews.cz-JaV_07
English 
Czech 
Spanish 
French 
Italian 
German 
Russian