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Mobility and Transport
News article14 December 2021Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport

Aviation: Launch of SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking marks a new chapter in modernising European air traffic management

Today sees the official launch of the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking (SESAR 3 JU), marking a new chapter in modernising European air traffic management (ATM). Bringing together the EU, Eurocontrol, and more than 50 organisations covering the entire aviation value chain including drones, this new European partnership will invest more than EUR 1.6 billion between now and 2030 to accelerate, through research and innovation, the delivery of an inclusive, resilient and sustainable Digital European Sky. Building on the achievements of its predecessor, the SESAR 3 JU will drive an ambitious programme to make Europe’s aviation infrastructure fit for the digital age, while offering quick wins to contribute towards the sector’s net zero ambitions.

Drawing upon a wide pool of multidisciplinary expertise throughout Europe, the SESAR 3 JU will develop and deliver innovative solutions across nine flagship areas of research and innovation (R&I), accommodating a diverse array of air traffic, from air taxis and delivery drones to commercial airliners and military aircraft. The R&I activities will be structured according to an innovation pipeline, composed of exploratory and industrial research, large scale demonstrators and a fast-track mechanism, to accelerate market uptake of the most promising and competitive solutions.

The new partnership is based on the joint contributions by the European Union, Eurocontrol and more than one hundred private companies. The Joint Undertaking seeks to act as catalyst for speeding up the transition towards climate neutral aviation, focusing on solutions that can be implemented rapidly and bring environmental benefits in the short to medium term, ahead of a ramp-up in use of sustainable aviation fuels. It will also aim to introduce solutions that allow for a more flexible and resilient infrastructure that is capable of withstanding unpredictable shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on the occasion of the first meeting of the SESAR 3 JU Governing Board, Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: “Commitment from the entire ATM community is vital to develop and deploy much-needed innovations to modernise Europe’s air traffic management. I welcome the launch of this new, reinvigorated partnership, which includes a record-breaking 55 founding members who have collectively committed to contribute more than 1.5 billion euro to the realisation of the digital Single sky.”

The SESAR 3 JU membership is composed of the following members:

European Commission, Aeroporti di Roma; AENA; Aeroport de Paris; Air France; Air Navigation Services Czech Republic (ANS CR); Airbus SAS; Airtel ATN Lt ; Alliance for New Mobility Europe (AME); Athens International Airport; Austro Control; Brussels Airport Company; Boeing Aerospace Spain; Bulatsa; CIRA; Croatia Control; Lufthansa; DLR; DFS; DSNA; Drone Alliance Europe; Easyjet; ENAC; ENAIRE; ENAV; Eurocontrol; Flughafen München; Frequentis; Honeywell; Hungaro Control; INDRA; Irish Aviation Authority; Københavns Lufthavne (Copenhagen Airports A/S); ONERA; Leonardo; Prague Airport; LFV; LVNL; NAV Portugal; Naviair; NLR; Pipistrel; PANSA; ROMATSA; Ryanair; SAAB; SAFRAN; SINTEF; SCHIPOL, S.E.A; SWEDAVIA; THALES; Collins Aerospace Ireland Limited; Volocopter; VTT.

Details

Publication date
14 December 2021
Author
Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport