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SINGLE EUROPEAN SKY (SES)

The Single European Sky (SES) is the European initiative to reform the architecture of Europe’s air traffic control to meet the future need for capacity and safety. The Single European Sky is intended to provide “common rules for aviation in Europe” and as such comprises a range of regulatory instruments.

The first phase of SES (SES I) was supported by specific detailed implementing rules (IRs). These took the form of four core regulations:

  • The Framework Regulation (549/2004)
  • The Service Provision Regulation (550/2004)
  • The Airspace Regulation (551/2004)
  • The Interoperability Regulation (552/2004)

Each of these regulations has been supplemented since their adoption and implementation (see reference section for detail).

The SES I impact for airports, and more particularly their air navigation service providers (ANSPs), related primarily to regulations flowing from the Service Provision Regulation. Most notable amongst these were Regulation 2096/2005 and Regulation 1794/2006 relating to common requirements for the provision of air navigation services and a common charging scheme for air navigation services, respectively. AOA contributed substantially to the consultations on each of these Regulations and was instrumental in securing changes to protect the interests of members through contact and influence with DfT and directly with the European Commission.

In the intervening years and in response to the changing nature of aviation and the growing emphasis on environmental impacts the European Commission issued a Communication in 2008 proposing SES II “towards more sustainable and better performing aviation”. This Communication proposed four key Pillars:

• FIRST PILLAR: REGULATING PERFORMANCE

This included the driving the performance of the ATM system through the creation of a performance review body; facilitating the integration of the service function through the establishment of Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs); and the strengthening the network management function.

• SECOND PILLAR: A SINGLE SAFETY FRAMEWORK

This pillar seeks the creation of harmonised safety standards across Member States through regulation by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

• THIRD PILLAR: OPENING THE DOOR TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES

This pillar links to SESAR and moves to modernise European Air Traffic Management and to replace the obsolescent technologies and fragmentation currently in place.

• FOURTH PILLAR: MANAGING CAPACITY ON THE GROUND

This pillar flows from the European Parliament and Council endorsement of an action plan for airport capacity, efficiency and safety in Europe. It states that necessary investments in “airport capacity need to be made to accommodate growing demand for air traffic, and airport capacity needs to remain aligned with ATM capacity to preserve the overall efficiency of the network. The action plan therefore contains several measures to increase the output and optimise the planning of airport infrastructures, while at the same time raising safety and environmental standards”.

This also proposes better use of existing infrastructure; promoting intermodality and improving access to airports; and the establishment of a Community Observatory on airport capacity.

By the end of 2010 there was little obvious progress on the implementation of SES II as far as airports were concerned.

References:

SES I
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/single_european_sky/implementing_rules_en.htm

SES II Communication
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2008:0389:FIN:EN:PDF

SES II
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/single_european_sky/ses_2_en.htm