In order to formulate the EU’s aviation policy, it needs to have comparable, consistent, synchronised and regular statistical data on the scale and development of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air within the EU. Regulation (EC) No 437/2003, therefore, aims to establish a solid statistical base for this purpose.

It is complemented by Implementing Regulation (EC) No 1358/2003 which contains important methodological information, such as airport categories on which reporting obligations are based, further definitions and coding guidelines.

KEY POINTS

The objective of Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 is to collect reliable, regular, up-to-date, harmonised and comparable information on the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air. Collecting common data on a comparable or harmonised basis makes it possible to provide an integrated system supplying reliable, consistent and prompt information.

Each EU country must collect statistical data on:

passengers;
freight and mail;
flights;
passenger seats available;
aircraft movements.

Each EU country must also collect all the specified data for all EU airports in its territory with more than150,000 passengers per year. Less-detailed statistics must be collected for airports with between 15,000 and 150,000 passengers, while airports with fewer than 15,000 passengers do not have to report.

Where possible, the collection of data must be based on available sources so as to minimise the burden on respondents. Where an EU country calls upon a respondent to provide information, the respondent is obliged to give true and complete information within the given deadline.

The collection of data must be based on complete returns unless other standards of accuracy are established by the European Commission. EU countries must transmit the results of the data processing, including data declared confidential, to Eurostat.

At the request of the Commission, EU countries must communicate all information concerning the methods used in the collection of data, as well as any substantive changes to those methods.

Regulation (EC) No 1358/2003 establishes the list of EU airports (apart from those having only occasional commercial traffic).

It contains very important methodological information — such as categories of airports — based on which the reporting obligations are set up, as well as additional definitions and codification guidelines.

FROM WHEN DO THE REGULATIONS APPLY?

Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 has applied since 31 March 2003.

Regulation (EC) No 1358/2003 has applied since 21 August 2003.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Reference Manual on Air Transport Statistics (Eurostat)
Eurostat transport database (Eurostat)
Air transport statistics (Eurostat).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 February 2003 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air (OJ L 66, 11.3.2003, pp. 1-8)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 have been incorporated into the basic text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1358/2003 of 31 July 2003 implementing Regulation (EC) No 437/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air and amending Annexes I and II thereto (OJ L 194, 1.8.2003, pp. 9-33)

See consolidated version.

last update 13.4.2018

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SUMMARY OF:

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATIONS?

KEY POINTS

FROM WHEN DO THE REGULATIONS APPLY?

BACKGROUND

MAIN DOCUMENTS