The EU's aviation strategy

 

SUMMARY OF:

Communication (COM(2015) 598 final) — An Aviation Strategy for Europe

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS COMMUNICATION?

• It sets out the EU’s Aviation Strategy which is designed to ensure that the EU’s aviation sector remains competitive globally and contributes to the growth of the European economy.
• It is accompanied by an indicative action plan composed of:
  • a legislative: proposal to review EU aviation safety rules,
  • guidance documents and
  • an evaluation of existing legislation.

KEY POINTS

Priorities

The strategy has 4 main priorities:

• 1.

  To establish the EU as a leading player in global aviation whilst ensuring equal opportunities for all EU companies:

  • The strategy includes plans for aviation agreements with key countries and regions around the world.

• 2.

  To tackle the limits to airline capacity both in the air and on the ground:

  • The strategy emphasises the importance of completing the Single European Sky project, making the best use of the busiest airports and monitoring the connectivity both between EU countries and between EU and non-EU countries.

• 3.

  To maintain high EU standards:

  • The strategy includes measures to maintain standards in safety, security, the environment, social issues and passenger rights.
  • There are also plans to reduce the burden of security checks and costs through new technology and a risk-based approach.

• 4.

  To make progress on innovation, new technologies and investments:

  • The strategy seeks to unleash the full potential of drones by proposing laws to ensure safety and legal certainty for the industry whilst addressing concerns related to privacy, data protection, the environment and security.
  • The EU will also invest €430 million a year in SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) to improve air traffic control management.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• ‘An Aviation Strategy for Europe’ on the European Commission’s website

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: An Aviation Strategy for Europe (COM(2015) 598 final of 7.12.2015)

RELATED ACT

Commission staff working document Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions An Aviation Strategy for Europe (SWD(2015) 261 final of 7.12.2015)

last update 19.07.2016