Willie Penrose
Ceist:79 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Transport the Government's position regarding the EU proposals for a single sky policy or the creation of a single EU airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18244/02]
Written Answers. - Air Services.
Air Traffic is growing and will continue to grow despite the temporary downturn due to last year's terrorist attacks. This growth is giving rise to capacity constraints. In 2000 some 20% of flights from European airports were delayed by an average of 25 minutes while in 2001 according to the Association of European Airlines more than 24% of intra-European flights suffered a delay of more than 15 minutes.
There are various causes including shortage of airport capacity constraints, weather, aircraft serviceability, airline operations policies and air traffic control. Air traffic control capacity constraints are a significant contributor to the delays. While such delays are rare in Irish airspace they impact on Irish airlines who must operate through UK and European centres where there are significant capacity constraints.
With a view to tackling the delays caused by air traffic control constraints, the European Commission, following a report by a high level group comprising representatives of member states has brought forward the Single European Sky package of legislative proposals. The package comprises four elements, a framework regulation establishing the general principles, a regulation on the provision of air navigation services, a regulation on the organisation and use of airspace and a regulation on the inter-operability of the air traffic management network.
The EU is undertaking a genuine reform of air traffic management. This involves first strengthening safety by a more coherent organisational structure at Community level and second increasing capacity in the system to meet traffic growth by a more efficient use and organisation of air space. The objective is to establish a Community airspace as a single operating airspace where member states designate air navigation service providers and where common procedures for the design, planning and management ensure the efficient and safe performance of air traffic management at a European level. To make a comparison, today arterial routes stretch throughout Europe in a single seamless road system. The objective is to do the same thing in the air: rationalise airspace boundaries so that flights do not have to be inefficiently guided through a multiplicity of air traffic control areas.
The European Council on 15 and 16 March 2002 called for work to be pursued actively in 2002 on this package of proposals so that decisions can be taken to bring about a single sky in 2004. I attended the recent Transport Council meeting held on 3 October which considered progress on this matter and it was agreed that work should be carried forward with a view to enabling a political agreement to be reached at the Council's session on 5 and 6 December 2002.
Before the end of 2004, the main accompanying measures at Community and national level should also have been adopted, so that the regulatory framework necessary for the operation of the Single European Sky will be in force by that date. All member states have welcomed the Single European Sky package and underlined its importance. Ireland strongly supports the concept of a Single European Sky and my Department has been working closely with the Irish Aviation Authority in order to make progress on adoption of the package. As an island nation with a high dependence on air and sea transport, improved efficiency in these modes is important in enabling future economic development and expansion of international trade links.