(1)

Pursuant to Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 549/2004, a performance scheme for air navigation services and network functions is to be set up. Furthermore, pursuant to Article 10 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, Member States are to draw up, either at national level or at the level of functional airspace blocks (‘FABs’), binding performance targets for each reference period of the performance scheme for air navigation services and network functions. Those performance targets have to be consistent with the Union-wide targets adopted by the Commission for the reference period concerned. The Commission is responsible for assessing whether the proposed performance targets contained in the draft performance plans drawn up by the Member States are consistent with the Union-wide performance targets using the assessment criteria set out in Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317.

(2)

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has, since the first quarter of calendar year 2020, significantly impacted the air transport sector and has considerably reduced air traffic volumes as compared to pre-pandemic levels, due to the measures taken by the Member States and third countries to contain the pandemic.

(3)

Union-wide performance targets for the third reference period (‘RP3’) were originally set out in Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/903 (3). As those Union-wide performance targets and the draft RP3 performance plans subsequently submitted by the Member States were drawn up before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, they could not take account of the resulting significantly changed circumstances for air transport.

(4)

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of air navigation services, exceptional measures for RP3, which derogate from the provisions of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, were set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1627 (4). Pursuant to Article 2(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1627, the Commission adopted, on 2 June 2021, Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/891 (5) setting revised Union-wide performance targets for RP3.

(5)

The Commission notes that the Eurocontrol’s Statistics and Forecast Service (‘STATFOR’) October 2021 base traffic forecast projects that air traffic at Union-wide level will reach its pre-pandemic levels in the course of 2023 and will exceed those levels in 2024. However, the level of uncertainty regarding traffic development remains particularly high because of the risks related to the evolution of the COVID-19 epidemiological situation. The Commission also notes that the traffic recovery is expected to be uneven across Member States.

(6)

All Member States have developed and adopted draft performance plans containing revised local performance targets for RP3, which were submitted to the Commission for assessment by 1 October 2021. Following the verification of completeness of those draft performance plans, the Commission requested Member States to submit updated draft performance plans by 17 November 2021. The Commission’s assessment presented in this Decision is based on the updated draft performance plan submitted by Croatia.

(7)

The performance review body, assisting the Commission in the implementation of the performance scheme pursuant to Article 11(2) of Regulation (EC) No 549/2004, has submitted to the Commission a report containing its advice on the assessment of RP3 draft performance plans.

(8)

In accordance with Article 14(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, the Commission has assessed the consistency of the local performance targets proposed by Croatia on the basis of the assessment criteria laid down in point 1 of Annex IV to that Implementing Regulation, and taking account of local circumstances. In respect of each key performance area and the related performance targets, the Commission has complemented the assessment by reviewing draft performance plans in respect of the elements set out in point 2 of Annex IV to that Implementing Regulation.

(9)

As Croatia does not have any airport falling within the scope of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317 in respect of RP3, there are no local performance targets for terminal air navigation services as part of its draft RP3 performance plan. Therefore, the findings contained in this Decision relate solely to en route air navigation services.

(10)

Concerning the key performance area of safety, the Commission has assessed the consistency of the targets submitted by Croatia regarding the effectiveness of safety management of air navigation service providers based on the criterion laid down in point 1.1 of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317. That assessment was conducted taking account of local circumstances and was complemented by the review of measures planned for the achievement of the safety targets in respect of the elements set out in point 2.1.(a) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317.

(11)

The draft performance targets in the key performance area of safety proposed by Croatia in respect of the effectiveness of safety management, broken down per safety management objective and expressed as a level of implementation, are as follows:

(12)

In respect of the draft safety targets proposed by Croatia for the air navigation service provider (Croatia Control), the Commission has found that the level of the Union-wide performance target is planned to be achieved in 2024 with regard to the ‘safety policy and objectives’ as well as for the ‘safety risk management’ objective, whilst for the other ‘safety management objectives’ the local performance targets meet the level of the Union-wide performance target for each calendar year from 2021 to 2024.

(13)

The Commission notes that the draft performance plan submitted by Croatia sets out measures for Croatia Control for the achievement of the local safety targets, such as the implementation of an efficient safety management system capable of identifying and mitigating safety risk at an early stage, the application of the severity classification of the risk analysis tool (RAT), the reporting of ‘just culture’ and other specific safety tools. However, the Commission considers that specific measures should be described in order to demonstrate how Croatia Control will reach the safety targets in the area of ‘safety policy and objectives’.

(14)

On the basis of the findings set out in recitals 12 and 13, and considering that the Union-wide safety performance targets set in Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/891 must be achieved by the final year of RP3, namely 2024, the draft targets included in the draft performance plan of Croatia should be assessed as consistent with the Union-wide performance targets in the key performance area of safety.

(15)

Concerning the key performance area of environment, the consistency of the targets submitted by Croatia regarding the average horizontal en route flight efficiency of the actual trajectory has been assessed based on the criterion laid down in point 1.2 of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317. Accordingly, the proposed targets contained in the draft performance plan of Croatia have been compared to the relevant en route horizontal flight efficiency reference values set out in the European Route Network Improvement Plan (‘ERNIP’) available at the time of adopting the revised Union-wide performance targets for RP3, that is on 2 June 2021. That assessment was conducted taking account of local circumstances and was complemented by the review of measures planned for the achievement of the environment targets under point 2.1(a) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317.

(16)

In respect of the calendar year 2020, the Union-wide performance target for RP3 in the key performance area of environment, which was initially set out in Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/903, was not revised by Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/891, considering that the period for the application of that target had expired and that its implementation had thus become definitive leaving no possibility for retroactive adjustments. Accordingly, Member States were not requested to revise, in the draft performance plans submitted by 1 October 2021, their local performance targets for calendar year 2020 in the key performance area of environment. Therefore, the consistency of the local environment performance targets with the corresponding Union-wide performance targets should be assessed with regard to calendar years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

(17)

The draft performance targets in the key performance area of environment proposed by Croatia and the corresponding national reference values for RP3 from the ERNIP, expressed as the average horizontal en route flight efficiency of the actual trajectory, are as follows:

(18)

The Commission observes that the draft environment targets proposed by Croatia are equal to the corresponding national reference values for each calendar year from 2021 to 2024.

(19)

In respect of point 2.1(a) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, the Commission notes that Croatia has presented in the draft performance plan measures for the achievement of the local environment targets which include further cross-border collaboration with Bosnia and Herzegovina within the South East Common Sky Initiative Free Route Airspace (SECSI FRA), the introduction of performance-based navigation as well as measures to further improve flexible use of airspace. Furthermore, the Commission notes that Croatia has already implemented free route airspace within Zagreb Flight Information Region from flight level 205 since 2018.

(20)

On the basis of the findings set out in recitals 18 and 19, the draft targets included in the draft performance plan of Croatia should be assessed as consistent with the Union-wide performance targets in the key performance area of environment.

(21)

Concerning the key performance area of capacity, the consistency of the targets submitted by Croatia regarding the average en route air traffic flow management (‘ATFM’) delay per flight has been assessed based on the criterion laid down in point 1.3 of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317. Accordingly, the proposed targets contained in the draft performance plan of Croatia have been compared to the relevant reference values set out in the Network Operations Plan available at the time of adopting the revised Union-wide performance targets for RP3, that is on 2 June 2021. That assessment was conducted taking account of local circumstances and was complemented by the review of measures planned for the achievement of the capacity targets under point 2.1(a) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317.

(22)

In respect of the calendar year 2020, the Union-wide performance target for RP3 in the key performance area of capacity, which was initially set out in Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/903, was not revised by Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/891, considering that the time period for the application of that target had expired and that its implementation had thus become definitive leaving no possibility for retroactive adjustments. Accordingly, Member States were not requested to revise, in the draft performance plans submitted by 1 October 2021, their local performance targets for calendar year 2020 in the key performance area of capacity. Therefore, the consistency of the local capacity performance targets with the corresponding Union-wide performance targets should be assessed with regard to calendar years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

(23)

The draft en route capacity targets proposed by Croatia for RP3, expressed in minutes of ATFM delay per flight, as well as the corresponding reference values from the Network Operations Plan are as follows:

(24)

The Commission observes that the draft capacity targets proposed by Croatia are equal to the corresponding national reference values for each calendar year from 2021 to 2024.

(25)

In respect of point 2.1(a) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, the Commission notes that Croatia has presented in the draft performance plan a range of measures for the achievement of the local en route capacity targets. Those measures include several air traffic management (ATM) system upgrades, new airspace sectorisation as well as notable increases in the planned number of air traffic controller FTEs during calendar years 2022 to 2024.

(26)

On the basis of the findings set out in recitals 24 and 25, the draft targets included in the draft performance plan of Croatia should be assessed as consistent with the Union-wide performance targets in the key performance area of capacity.

(27)

Concerning the key performance area of cost-efficiency, the consistency of the targets submitted by Croatia regarding the determined unit costs (‘DUC’) for en route air navigation services has been assessed based on the criteria laid down in points 1.4(a), (b) and (c) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317. Those criteria consist of the DUC trend over RP3, the long-term DUC trend over the second reference period (‘RP2’) and RP3 (2015-2024), and the baseline value for the DUC at charging zone level compared with the average value of the charging zones where air navigation service providers have a similar operational and economic environment.

(28)

The assessment of en route cost efficiency targets was conducted taking account of local circumstances. It was complemented by the review of the key factors and parameters underpinning those targets as specified under point 2.1(d) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317.

(29)

The draft en route cost-efficiency targets proposed by Croatia for RP3 are as follows:

(30)

Concerning the criterion laid down in point 1.4(a) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, the Commission observes that Croatia’s en route DUC trend at charging zone level of +0,3 % over RP3 outperforms the Union-wide trend of +1,0 % over the same period.

(31)

Concerning the criterion laid down in point 1.4(b) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, the Commission observes that Croatia’s long-term en route DUC trend at charging zone level over RP2 and RP3 of -2,3 % outperforms the long-term Union-wide trend of -1,3 % over the same period.

(32)

Concerning the criterion laid down in point 1.4(c) of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317, the Commission observes that Croatia’s baseline value for the DUC of EUR 40,31 in EUR2017 is 3,2 % higher than the average baseline value of EUR 39,05 in real terms at 2017 prices (‘EUR2017’) of the relevant comparator group. However, the Commission notes that the determined en route unit cost of Croatia will be below the average of the comparator group by -1,8 % in 2024.

(33)

As outlined in recitals 30 and 31, it is clear that Croatia outperforms both the RP3 Union-wide DUC trend and the long-term Union-wide DUC trend, the latter being surpassed by a significant margin. Furthermore, the DUC of Croatia in 2024 is lower than the 2014 baseline value and is stable compared with the 2019 baseline value. This shows that Croatia has achieved cost-efficiency gains in the long term, which is further supported by the finding that Croatia’s DUC for 2024 is below the comparator group average. Having regard to the foregoing considerations, Croatia has demonstrated a cost-efficiency evolution outperforming the Union-wide trends, which provides a sufficient basis for establishing consistency with the Union-wide cost-efficiency performance targets for RP3.

(34)

On the basis of the findings set out in recitals 30 to 33, the draft targets included in the draft performance plan of Croatia should be assessed as consistent with the Union-wide performance targets in the key performance area of cost-efficiency.

(35)

On the basis of the assessment set out in recitals 10 to 34, the Commission has found that the performance targets contained in the draft performance plan submitted by Croatia are consistent with the Union-wide performance targets.

(36)

The Commission notes that some Member States have indicated their intention to include cost items relating to airport drone detection in their RP3 cost bases. It has not been possible to precisely establish, based on the elements contained in the draft performance plans, to what extent Member States have included such determined costs in their RP3 cost bases and, where such costs have been included, to what extent they are incurred in relation to the provision of air navigation services and could thus be deemed eligible under the performance and charging scheme. The Commission services have sent an ad hoc information request to all Member States in order to gather relevant information, and will further examine the reported airport drone detection costs in the context of unit rate compliance verification. This Decision is without prejudice to the findings and conclusions of the Commission on the topic of drone detection costs.

(37)

In response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022, the Union has adopted restrictive measures prohibiting Russian air carriers, any Russian-registered aircraft and any non-Russian-registered aircraft which is owned or chartered, or otherwise controlled by any Russian natural or legal person, entity or body from landing in, taking off from, or overflying the territory of the Union. Those measures are leading to a reduced air traffic in the airspace over the territory of the Union. The impact at the Union-wide level should however not be comparable to the reduction of air traffic which resulted from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Therefore, it is appropriate to maintain the existing measures and processes for the implementation of the performance and charging scheme in RP3,