Legal provisions of COM(2001)123-2 - Framework for the creation of the single European sky

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dossier COM(2001)123-2 - Framework for the creation of the single European sky.
document COM(2001)123 EN
date March 10, 2004


Contents

Article 1 - Objective and scope

1. The objective of the single European sky initiative is to enhance current safety standards and overall efficiency for general air traffic in Europe, to optimise capacity meeting the requirements of all airspace users and to minimise delays. In pursuit of this objective, the aim of this Regulation is to establish a harmonised regulatory framework for the creation of the single European sky by 31 December 2004.

2. The application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in Article 3 shall be without prejudice to Member States' sovereignty over their airspace and to the requirements of the Member States relating to public order, public security and defence matters, as set out in Article 13. This Regulation and the abovementioned measures do not cover military operations and training.

3. The application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in Article 3 shall be without prejudice to the rights and duties of Member States under the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

4. The application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in Article 3 to the airport of Gibraltar is understood to be without prejudice to the respective legal positions of the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom with regard to the dispute over sovereignty over the territory in which the airport is situated.

5. Application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in Article 3 to Gibraltar airport shall be suspended until the arrangements included in the Joint Declaration made by the Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom on 2 December 1987 enter into operation. The Governments of Spain and the United Kingdom will inform the Council of such date of entry into operation.

Article 2 - Definitions

For the purpose of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in Article 3, the following definitions shall apply:

1. 'air traffic control (ATC) service' means a service provided for the purpose of:

(a) preventing collisions:

- between aircraft, and

- in the manoeuvring area between aircraft and obstructions; and

(b) expediting and maintaining an orderly flow of air traffic;

2. 'aerodrome control service' means an ATC service for aerodrome traffic;

3. 'aeronautical information service' means a service established within the defined area of coverage responsible for the provision of aeronautical information and data necessary for the safety, regularity, and efficiency of air navigation;

4. 'air navigation services' means air traffic services; communication, navigation and surveillance services; meteorological services for air navigation; and aeronautical information services;

5. 'air navigation service providers' means any public or private entity providing air navigation services for general air traffic;

6. 'airspace block' means an airspace of defined dimensions, in space and time, within which air navigation services are provided;

7. 'airspace management' means a planning function with the primary objective of maximising the utilisation of available airspace by dynamic time-sharing and, at times, the segregation of airspace among various categories of airspace users on the basis of short-term needs;

8. 'airspace users' means all aircraft operated as general air traffic;

9. 'air traffic flow management' means a function established with the objective of contributing to a safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic by ensuring that ATC capacity is utilised to the maximum extent possible, and that the traffic volume is compatible with the capacities declared by the appropriate air traffic service providers;

10. 'air traffic management' means the aggregation of the airborne and ground-based functions (air traffic services, airspace management and air traffic flow management) required to ensure the safe and efficient movement of aircraft during all phases of operations;

11. 'air traffic services' means the various flight information services, alerting services, air traffic advisory services and ATC services (area, approach and aerodrome control services);

12. 'area control service' means an ATC service for controlled flights in a block of airspace;

13. 'approach control service' means an ATC service for arriving or departing controlled flights;

14. 'bundle of services' means two or more air navigation services;

15. 'certificate' means a document issued by a Member State in any form complying with national law, which confirms that an air navigation service provider meets the requirements for providing a specific service;

16. 'communication services' means aeronautical fixed and mobile services to enable ground-to-ground, air-to-ground and air-to-air communications for ATC purposes;

17. 'European air traffic management network' (EATMN) means the collection of systems listed in Annex I to 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)(9) enabling air navigation services in the Community to be provided, including the interfaces at boundaries with third countries;

18. 'concept of operation' means the criteria for the operational use of the EATMN or of part thereof;

19. 'constituents' means tangible objects such as hardware and intangible objects such as software upon which the interoperability of the EATMN depends;

20. 'Eurocontrol' is the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation set up by the International Convention of 13 December 1960 relating to Cooperation for the Safety of Air Navigation(10)

21. "Eurocontrol's principles for establishing the cost-base for route facility charges and the calculation of unit rates" means the principles as specified in document No 99.60.01/01 of 1 August 1999, issued by Eurocontrol;

22. 'flexible use of airspace' means an airspace management concept applied in the European Civil Aviation Conference area, as specified in the first edition of 5 February 1996 of the 'Airspace Management Handbook for the application of the Concept of the Flexible Use of Airspace' issued by Eurocontrol;

23. 'flight information region' means an airspace of defined dimensions within which flight information services and alerting services are provided;

24. 'flight level' means a surface of constant atmospheric pressure which is related to the specific pressure datum of 1013,2 hectopascals and is separated from other such surfaces by specific pressure intervals;

25. 'functional airspace block' means an airspace block based on operational requirements, reflecting the need to ensure more integrated management of the airspace regardless of existing boundaries;

26. 'general air traffic' means all movements of civil aircraft, as well as all movements of State aircraft (including military, customs and police aircraft) when these movements are carried out in conformity with the procedures of the ICAO;

27. 'ICAO' means the International Civil Aviation Organisation, as established by the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation;

28. 'interoperability' means a set of functional, technical and operational properties required of the systems and constituents of the EATMN and of the procedures for its operation, in order to enable its safe, seamless and efficient operation. Interoperability is achieved by making the systems and constituents compliant with the essential requirements;

29. 'meteorological services' means those facilities and services that provide aircraft with meteorological forecasts, briefs and observations as well as any other meteorological information and data provided by States for aeronautical use;

30. 'navigation services' means those facilities and services that provide aircraft with positioning and timing information;

31. 'operational data' means information concerning all phases of flight that are required to take operational decisions by air navigation service providers, airspace users, airport operators and other actors involved;

32. 'procedure', as used in the context of the interoperability Regulation, means a standard method for either the technical or the operational use of systems, in the context of agreed and validated concepts of operation requiring uniform implementation throughout the EATMN;

33. 'putting into service' means the first operational use after the initial installation or an upgrade of a system;

34. 'route network' means a network of specified routes for channelling the flow of general air traffic as necessary for the provision of ATC services;

35. 'routing' means the chosen itinerary to be followed by an aircraft during its operation;

36. 'seamless operation' means the operation of the EATMN in such a manner that from the user's perspective it functions as if it were a single entity;

37. 'sector' means part of a control area and/or a flight information region/upper region;

38. 'surveillance services' means those facilities and services used to determine the respective positions of aircraft to allow safe separation;

39. 'system' means the aggregation of airborne and ground-based constituents, as well as space-based equipment, that provides support for air navigation services for all phases of flight;

40. 'upgrade' means any modification that changes the operational characteristics of a system.

Article 3 - Fields for action by the Community

1. This Regulation establishes a harmonised regulatory framework for the creation of the single European sky in conjunction with:

(a) 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)(11);

(b) 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)(12); and

(c) 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)(13);

and with the implementing rules adopted by the Commission on the basis of this Regulation and the regulations referred to above.

2. The measures referred to in paragraph 1 shall apply subject to the provisions of this Regulation.

Article 4 - National supervisory authorities

1. Member States shall nominate or establish a body or bodies as their national supervisory authority in order to assume the tasks assigned to such authority under this Regulation and under the measures referred to in Article 3.

2. The national supervisory authorities shall be independent of air navigation service providers. This independence shall be achieved through adequate separation, at the functional level at least, between the national supervisory authorities and such providers. Member States shall ensure that national supervisory authorities exercise their powers impartially and transparently.

3. Member States shall notify the Commission of the names and addresses of the national supervisory authorities, as well as changes thereto, and of the measures taken to ensure compliance with paragraph 2.

Article 5 - Committee procedure

1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Single Sky Committee, hereinafter referred to as 'the Committee', composed of two representatives of each Member State and chaired by a representative of the Commission. The Committee shall ensure an appropriate consideration of the interests of all categories of users.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 3 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period referred to in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.

4. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.

Article 6 - Industry consultation body

Without prejudice to the role of the Committee and of Eurocontrol, the Commission shall establish an 'industry consultation body', to which air navigation service providers, associations of airspace users, airports, the manufacturing industry and professional staff representative bodies shall belong. The role of this body shall be solely to advise the Commission on technical aspects of the implementation of the single European sky.

Article 7 - Relations with European third countries

The Community shall aim at and support the extension of the single European sky to countries which are not members of the European Union. To that end, it shall endeavour, either within the framework of agreements concluded with neighbouring third countries, or within the context of Eurocontrol, to extend the scope of this Regulation, and of the measures referred to in Article 3, to those countries.

Article 8 - Implementing rules

1. For the development of implementing rules pursuant to Article 3 which fall within the remit of Eurocontrol, the Commission shall issue mandates to Eurocontrol setting out the tasks to be performed and the timetable therefor. In this connection, it shallendeavour to make best use of the arrangements of Eurocontrol for the involvement and consultation of all interested parties, where these arrangements correspond to Commission practices on transparency and consultation procedures and do not conflict with its institutional obligations. The Commission shall act in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 5(2).

2. On the basis of the work completed pursuant to paragraph 1, decisions regarding the application of the results of such work within the Community and the deadline for their implementation shall be taken in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 5(3). These decisions shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

3. Notwithstanding paragraph 2, if Eurocontrol cannot accept a mandate that was issued to it under paragraph 1, or if the Commission, in consultation with the Committee, considers that

(a) the work carried out on the basis of such mandate is not progressing satisfactorily given the deadline set, or

(b) the results of the work carried out are not adequate,

the Commission, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 5(3), may adopt alternative measures to achieve the objectives of the mandate concerned.

4. For the development of implementing rules pursuant to Article 3 which fall outside the remit of Eurocontrol, the Commission shall act in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 5(3).

Article 9 - Sanctions

The sanctions that Member States shall lay down for infringements of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in Article 3 by airspace users and service providers shall be effective, proportional and dissuasive.

Article 10 - Consultation of stakeholders

The Member States, acting in accordance with their national legislation, and the Commission shall establish consultation mechanisms for appropriate involvement of stakeholders in the implementation of the single European sky.

Such stakeholders may include:

- air navigation service providers,

- airspace users,

- airports,

- manufacturing industry, and

- professional staff representative bodies.

Consultation of stakeholders shall cover, in particular, the development and introduction of new concepts and technologies in the EATMN.

Article 11 - Performance review

1. The Commission shall ensure the examination and evaluation of air navigation performance, drawing upon the existing expertise of Eurocontrol.

2. The analysis of the information collected for the purposes of paragraph 1 aims at:

(a) allowing the comparison and improvement of air navigation service provision;

(b) assisting air navigation service providers to deliver the required services;

(c) improving the consultation process between airspace users, air navigation service providers and airports;

(d) allowing the identification and the promotion of best practice, including improved safety, efficiency and capacity.

3. Without prejudice to the public's right of access to the Commission's documents as laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents(14), the Commission shall adopt, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 5(3), measures for the dissemination to interested parties of the information referred to in paragraph 2.

Article 12 - Supervision, monitoring and methods of impact assessment

1. The supervision, monitoring and methods of impact assessment shall be based on the submission of annual reports by the Member States on implementation of the actions taken pursuant to this Regulation and to the measures referred to in Article 3.

2. The Commission shall periodically review the application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in Article 3, and shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council, on the first occasion by 20 April 2007, and every three years thereafter. For this purpose, the Commission may request from the Member States information additional to the information contained in the reports submitted by them in accordance with paragraph 1.

3. For the purposes of drafting the reports referred to in paragraph 2, the Commission shall request the opinion of the Committee.

4. The reports shall contain an evaluation of the results achieved by the actions taken pursuant to this Regulation including appropriate information about developments in the sector, in particular concerning economic, social, employment and technological aspects, as well as about quality of service, in the light of the original objectives and with a view to future needs.

Article 13 - Safeguards

This Regulation shall not prevent the application of measures by a Member State to the extent to which these are needed to safeguard essential security or defence policy interests. Such measures are in particular those which are imperative:

- for the surveillance of airspace that is under its responsibility in accordance with ICAO Regional Air Navigation agreements, including the capability to detect, identify and evaluate all aircraft using such airspace, with a view to seeking to safeguard safety of flights and to take action to ensure security and defence needs,

- in the event of serious internal disturbances affecting the maintenance of law and order,

- in the event of war or serious international tension constituting a threat of war,

- for the fulfilment of a Member State's international obligations in relation to the maintenance of peace and international security,

- in order to conduct military operations and training, including the necessary possibilities for exercises.

Article 14 - Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.


This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.