Air Transport Portal of the European Commission

European Civil Aviation Handbook

The Single European Sky

History of the Single European Sky project

Following a Communication from the Commission in December 1999 (COM(1999) 614), a High Level Group was set up by the civil and military authorities responsible for air traffic control in the Member States. EUROCONTROL contributed its technical expertise to the work. The Commission also involved the social partners, the industrial groups concerned (service providers, airlines, airports, equipment manufacturers) and passenger associations in the work though an Industrial and Social Group.

The report suggested:

• setting up a strong Community regulator, with sufficient resources and independent of the various interests at stake, and defining ambitious targets to maintain and improve safety; 
• considering airspace as a common resource to which all users may have access and managing it as a continuum, starting with the upper level; 
• increasing synergy between the European Union's regulatory authorities and the expertise within EUROCONTROL and actively supporting the Community's accession to EUROCONTROL; 
• arranging for the specific and operational participation of the military authorities by applying the appropriate mechanisms; 
• promoting the introduction of new technologies, with absolute priority for safety, and improving interoperability between systems and technologies; 
• increasing the involvement of professional and trade union organisations in social dialogue at Community level and gradually introducing European training.

	Report of The High Level Group, November 2000 (250 Kb)
	Short presentation of the High Level Group report, December 2000 (1.786 KB)
	Information note on the European Single Sky (16 Kb)
	Independent Performance Review Commission Report on the impact of SES legislation on ATM performance