1 Air traffic management
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15143/05
+ ADD1
COM(05) 602
| Commission Communication on the project to develop the new generation European air traffic management system (SESAR) and the establishment of the SESAR Joint Undertaking
Draft Regulation on the establishment of a Joint Undertaking to develop the new generation European air traffic management system (SESAR)
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| Legal base | Article 171 EC; consultation; QMV
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| Department | Transport |
| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 14 February 2006
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 34-xvi (2005-06), para 1 (25 January 2006)
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| To be discussed in Council | Not known
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | For debate in the European Standing Committee (decision reported on 25 January 2006)
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Background
1.1 The Single European Sky was established in 2004 in order to
facilitate a single market in air transport.[1]
The main Single European Sky objectives are to improve and reinforce
aviation safety, to restructure European airspace so as to accommodate
air traffic flow more efficiently and cost-effectively, without
the constraints imposed by national borders, and to create a uniform
and interoperable air traffic management system. This document
is concerned with SESAR (Single European Sky air traffic research
system), "the new generation European air traffic management
system".[2] SESAR
is seen as the implementation programme for the Single European
Sky and is designed to complement the existing regulatory framework
and to facilitate the implementation of new technology in the
field of air traffic management. The Communication, and an annexed
working document, outlines the genesis of and justification for
SESAR, discusses the Commission's proposals as to how it should
be developed and deployed and introduces the draft Regulation
which would establish a Joint Undertaking to manage the proposed
second phase of the project.
1.2 When we considered the Commission's Communication
in January 2006 we said that SESAR was clearly a major initiative,
with the potential for significant improvements to air traffic
management in the Community and for important benefits for industry.
But we noted that the Government had drawn attention to significant
reservations which needed to be addressed before the proposed
direction of the project could be endorsed. We recommended that
the document should be debated in the European Standing Committee.[3]
The Minister's letter
1.3 The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department
for Transport (Ms Karen Buck) writes to tell us that it is now
agreed that the Commission's ambition to have agreement on the
proposal in May 2006, with establishment of a proposed managing
Joint Undertaking during 2006, is not achievable but that agreement
should be possible by the end of 2006. The Minister says that
this more relaxed timetable gives the Government ample time to
conduct a formal consultation on SESAR. She says the consultation
will run from 13 February to 8 May 2006 and sends us the partial
Regulatory Impact Assessment which accompanies the consultation
exercise.
Conclusion
1.4 We are grateful to the Minister for this additional
information. It will be relevant to the debate we have recommended,
which we understand is likely to take place shortly.
1.5 We take this opportunity to tell the Minster
that we have noted that the application of the Draft Regulation
to Gibraltar may be challenged. We remind her that we remain
concerned about the general question of the applicability of community
aviation legislation to Gibraltar. [4]
1 Creation of the Single European Sky is governed by
Regulations (EC) Nos 549/2004 (the framework Regulation), 550/2004
(the service provision Regulation), 551/2004 (the airspace Regulation)
and 552/2004 (the interoperability Regulation). Back
2
SESAR was originally known as SESAME (the Single European Sky
master plan), but a copyright difficulty led to its renaming.
Back
3
See headnote. Back
4
See (26861) 12588/05: HC 34-xv (2005-06), para 2 (18 January 2006). Back
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