EU Transport Ministers adopt position on Single European Sky

Brussels, 3 June 2021 – Today’s adoption by Transport Ministers of their EU Council position (General Approach) on the Single European Sky legislative package marks an important step towards a new regulatory framework for the European air traffic management sector. Since the European Commission published its proposals last September, CANSO has seen this as an opportunity to enable our members, Europe’s air navigation services providers (ANSPs), to realise the digital transformation of aviation in order to build a smarter and more sustainable aviation system for many years to come.

CANSO has called for more flexibility to be built into the proposals so that ANSPs can adapt their services more quickly and efficiently in response to traffic fluctuations and in order to meet different local needs.

CANSO notes that the Council has called for important changes with regards to the status of the National Supervisory Authorities, the role of the Performance Review Body, the market opening of certain air navigation services and the roles and tasks of the Network Manager, among other issues.

CANSO hopes that the European Parliament’s Transport Committee will adopt its position on 17 June so that the EU institutions can start negotiations on a final text.

Tanja Grobotek, CANSO’s Director Europe Affairs, said: “We hope that the Council, Parliament and Commission can come to an agreement soon in order to deliver a more digital, more scalable and more resilient Single European Sky while committing to the EU’s sustainability goals. CANSO and our members are committed to the reform of the Single European Sky and to investing in its development, and we call on the EU institutions to find the right regulatory balance for the future.”