Single European Sky: One step closer

The Transport and Tourism Committee of the European Parliament has approved on Thursday (26 votes in favour, 1 against, 4 abstentions) the Report on the “Implementation of the Single European Sky (Recast)” by Marian-Jean Marinescu MEP, Vice-Chair of the EPP Group in the European Parliament.

The report focuses on the reorganisation and administration of the European air space, which has not seen major improvements over the last period and which is responsible for the current congestions of the air traffic. The regulation, known as Single European Sky 2+ (SES 2+), is intended to speed up the implementation of the needed reforms to eliminate the existing borders in the European sky.

“I tried, as much as possible in my proposals, to take into account the opinions of the various stakeholders whom I met in the past months. The vote in the Transport Committee has led to a balanced text”, said Rapporteur Marinescu.

The EPP Group Rapporteur added: “We need to have at heart the 600 million passengers flying all over Europe each year. We need direct routes and a new and efficient airspace architecture. At the same time, we need to meet the requirements to provide an efficient traffic control that would, first of all, secure passengers’ safety. For this, we have to take into account the positions of the companies and of the employees in this sector.”

Marian-Jean Marinescu also highlighted the importance of technology for the implementation of the Single European Sky: “We will accomplish the Single European Sky through technology, through the new air traffic control systems of SESAR. As a matter of fact, I introduced a new chapter in the proposed regulation that addresses exclusively the implementation of SESAR."

SESAR is the European air traffic control infrastructure modernisation programme.