Czech Presidency reaches compromise on new rules for civil aviation
Aviation in Europe will be governed by new and more efficient rules, leading to shorter flights and reducing fuel consumption as well as emissions.
This is thanks to a deal that has been negotiated by the Czech Presidency with the European Parliament and the EU Member States.
Today the Czech Presidency managed to reach agreement among the Member State delegates on compromise wordings of two legal acts. The wordings had previously been agreed upon by the Presidency and the European Parliament. “The main objective of the new rules is to set up an efficient EU aviation system that will guarantee the level of safety needed and will make the best use of the air space capacity”, says Deputy Head of the Czech Permanent Representation to the EU Jana Reinišová who – together with her colleagues – led the talks between the Member States and the European Parliament.
“The rules will put an end to the fragmentation of air traffic and will improve and unify the air traffic management technologies”, adds Reinišová. Among other things, these measures will result in shorter flight routes and consequently shorter flight times, which in turn will cut fuel consumption as well as air traffic emissions. This will also improve the sustainability of air traffic.
The Czech Presidency has solved a number of contentious issues in two legislative proposals – a proposal reviewing the Single European Sky system and an amendment to a Regulation on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The agreement now has to be formally approved by the European Parliament at a plenary session and then by the 27 Member States at one of the EU Council meetings.
Additional information:
On 17 March 2009 the Coreper I committee adopted the conclusions of the negotiations between the EU Council and the European Parliament on the proposed amendments to the ‘Single European Sky’ system and to Regulation no. 216/2008 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The authority of EASA is thus enlarged to include the area of airports, air traffic management and aviation navigation services. These negotiations were led by the Czech EU Presidency on behalf of the Member States.
Talks on both proposals were commenced in 2008 under the French Presidency, which reached a consensus on technical level among the EU Member States on the proposed revision of the Single European Sky. However, it was the Czech Presidency that managed to round off the talks on the proposal for an amendment to Regulation no. 216/2008 at the level of the EU Council. It reached a compromise with the European Parliament on a number of contentious issues in both proposals.
The European Parliament is expected to vote the compromise on 25 March. The texts should then be finalised in the individual language versions and the official decision of the Council concerning the Parliament’s vote should be adopted.
Contacts:
- Radek Honzák, spokesman for Coreper I,Tel.: +32 2 2139 245, GSM: +32 475 734 018, E-mail: radek_honzak@mzv.cz
- Lada Hlaváčková, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Transport, Tel.: +420 225 131 530, GSM: +420 607 946 989, E-mail: lada.hlavackova@mdcr.cz
Last update: 16.8.2011 15:41
