Regulation (EC) No 551/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the organisation and use of the airspace in the single European sky (the airspace Regulation) (Text with EEA relevance) - Commission statement

Within the scope of the framework Regulation, this Regulation concerns the organisation and the use of airspace in the Single European Sky. The objective of this Regulation is to support the concept of a progressively more integrated operating airspace within the context of the common transport policy and to establish common procedures for design, planning and management ensuring the efficient and safe performance of air traffic management.

The use of airspace shall support the operation of the air navigation services as a coherent and consistent whole in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the provision of air navigation services in the single European sky (the service provision Regulation) ([^E0006]).

Without prejudice to Article 10, this Regulation shall apply to the airspace within the ICAO EUR and AFI regions where Member States are responsible for the provision of air traffic services in accordance with the service provision Regulation. Member States may also apply this Regulation to airspace under their responsibility within other ICAO regions, on condition that they inform the Commission and the other Member States thereof.

The Flight Information Regions comprised within the airspace to which this Regulation applies shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Community and its Member States shall aim at the establishment and recognition by the ICAO of a single EUIR. To that effect, for matters which fall within the competence of the Community, the Commission shall submit a recommendation to the Council in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty at the latest by 4 December 2011.

The EUIR shall be designed to encompass the airspace falling under the responsibility of the Member States in accordance with Article 1(3) and may also include airspace of European third countries.

The establishment of the EUIR shall be without prejudice to the responsibility of Member States for the designation of air traffic service providers for the airspace under their responsibility in accordance with Article 8(1) of the service provision Regulation.

Member States shall retain their responsibilities towards the ICAO within the geographical limits of the upper flight information regions and flight information regions entrusted to them by the ICAO on the date of entry into force of this Regulation.

Without prejudice to the publication by Member States of aeronautical information and in a manner consistent with that publication, the Commission, working in cooperation with Eurocontrol, shall ensure the availability of electronic aeronautical information of high quality, presented in a harmonised way and serving the requirements of all relevant users in terms of data quality and timeliness.

For the purpose of paragraph 1, the Commission shall:

The Commission shall adopt detailed implementing rules for this Article in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 5(3) of the framework Regulation.

The air traffic management (ATM) network functions shall allow optimum use of airspace and ensure that airspace users can operate preferred trajectories, while allowing maximum access to airspace and air navigation services. These network functions shall be aimed at supporting initiatives at national level and at the level of functional airspace blocks and shall be executed in a manner which respects the separation of regulatory and operational tasks.

In order to achieve the objectives referred to in paragraph 1 and without prejudice to the responsibilities of the Member States with regard to national routes and airspace structures, the Commission shall ensure that the following functions are carried out:

The Commission may add to the list of the functions in paragraph 2 after proper consultation of industry stakeholders. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 5(4) of the framework Regulation.

Detailed rules for the implementation of the measures referred to in this Article, except for those referred to in paragraphs 6 to 9, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 5(3) of the framework Regulation. Those implementing rules shall address in particular:

Aspects of airspace design other than those referred to in paragraph 2 shall be dealt with at national level or at the level of functional airspace blocks. This design process shall take into account traffic demands and complexity, national or functional airspace block performance plans and shall include full consultation of relevant airspace users or relevant groups representing airspace users and military authorities as appropriate.

Member States shall entrust Eurocontrol or another impartial and competent body with the performance of air traffic flow management, subject to appropriate oversight arrangements.

Implementing rules for air traffic flow management, including the necessary oversight arrangements, shall be developed in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 5(2) of the framework Regulation and adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 5(3) of the framework Regulation, with a view to optimising available capacity in the use of airspace and enhancing air traffic flow management processes. These rules shall be based on transparency and efficiency, ensuring that capacity is provided in a flexible and timely manner, consistent with the recommendations of the ICAO Regional Air Navigation Plan, European Region.

The implementing rules for air traffic flow management shall support operational decisions by air navigation service providers, airport operators and airspace users and shall cover the following areas:

When developing and adopting the implementing rules the Commission shall, as appropriate and without prejudice to safety, take into account consistency between flight plans and airport slots and the necessary coordination with adjacent regions.

Taking into account the organisation of military aspects under their responsibility, Member States shall ensure the uniform application within the single European ky of the concept of the flexible use of airspace as described by the ICAO and as developed by Eurocontrol, in order to facilitate airspace management and air traffic management in the context of the common transport policy.

Member States shall report annually to the Commission on the application, in the context of the common transport policy, of the concept of the flexible use of airspace in respect of the airspace under their responsibility.

Where, in particular following the reports submitted by Member States, it becomes necessary to reinforce and harmonise the application of the concept of the flexible use of airspace within the single European sky, implementing rules within the context of the common transport policy shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure under Article 8 of the framework Regulation.

In cases where the application of Article 7 gives rise to significant operational difficulties, Member States may temporarily suspend such application on condition that they inform without delay the Commission and the other Member States thereof.

Following the introduction of a temporary suspension, adjustments to the rules adopted under Article 7(3) may be worked out for the airspace under the responsibility of the Member State(s) concerned, in accordance with the procedure under Article 8 of the framework Regulation.