This Opinion addresses safety and regulatory coordination issues related to the provision of air traffic services (ATS).
The main objective of this Opinion is to maintain a high level of safety in the European Union (EU) air navigation system, in particular with regard to the provision of ATS. In order to achieve this objective, the proposal aims to:
- transpose the relevant International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) provisions on ATS into the EU aviation regulatory framework, thus contributing to their uniform implementation throughout the EU, and supporting EU Member States in fulfilling their obligations stemming from the Chicago Convention; and
- define proportionate and cost-efficient rules.
The Opinion proposes amendments to:
- Regulation (EU) 2017/373 and Annexes I (Part-Definitions), IV (Part-ATS) and V (Part-MET) thereto; and
- Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 and the Annex thereto.
The Opinion introduces a detailed set of provisions, mainly transposed from the relevant ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS), into Regulation (EU) 2017/373, in particular in Annex IV (Part-ATS) thereto. In addition, it removes the existing provision referencing to ICAO Annexes 10 Volume II and 11, to address the provision of ATS, thus implementing the Essential Requirements in Annex Vb 2.(c) to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008. Minor amendments to Annex V (Part-MET) are introduced to ensure consistency with Part-ATS.
Amendments to Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 are also proposed for consistency, in consideration of the close interrelationship between the ATS provision and the rules of the air.
Additionally, this Opinion addresses some safety recommendations submitted to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA.)
