A set of legislative acts develop requirements stemming from essential requirements set out in the Single European Sky framework and in Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (the EASA Basic Regulation) concerning staff, equipment and operations of the European air traffic management network (EATMN) to ensure its safe, secure, seamless and efficient operations in the EU. This is complemented with common general rules for the aircraft operation and the equipment required for the use of the Single European Sky.
SERA - Standardised European Rules of the Air
One of the main objectives of the Single European Sky is to support the concept of a more integrated operating airspace within the context of the common transport policy, and to establish common procedures for design, planning, use and management of airspace while ensuring the efficient and safe performance of air traffic management. In order to ensure this, all participants in the Single European Sky must adhere to a common set of rules of the air and related operational provisions regarding air traffic services and to uniformly apply the ICAO airspace classification. This is why standardized European rules of the air (SERA) were established with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.
Common Requirements for ATM/ANS Service Provision and their oversight
Common rules for the certification and oversight of the Air Traffic Management and Air Navigation Service Providers are essential to ensure a harmonised provision of services across the Union and to ensure the highest level of safety, performance and security. Therefore, and to increase the Member States' confidence in each other's systems, uniform requirements for the provision of services and their oversight are regulated on an European level in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373. The legislative act does concern organizational, technical and personnel requirements, and reflects the state of the art in aviation safety management. The Implementing Regulation is largely based on ATM-related ICAO Standards, Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS).
More information on the Common Requirements for ATM/ANS Service Provision
Airspace Usage Requirements
The continued growth of aviation is placing increasing demands on the safe use of available airspace, thus increasing the need to use it as safely, effectively and efficiently as possible. A set of legislative acts have been developed at Union level to ensure common requirements to equip aircraft with the required constituents for the use of the Single European Sky and the associated operation rules.
Performance Based Navigation (PBN)
Performance Based Navigation (PBN) means area navigation based on performance requirements for aircraft operating along an ATS route, on an instrument approach procedure or in a designated airspace. The provision of ATM/ANS using PBN can bring safety, capacity and efficiency benefits through the optimisation of air traffic service routes and instrument approach procedures. Regulation (EU) 2018/1048 seeks to enhance aircraft operations by setting specific PBN implementation deadlines for ATM/ANS providers and aerodrome operators.
Common provisions on aircraft equipment required for the use of the Single European Sky airspace and related
In 2023, the Commission adapted and repealed eight SES interoperability implementing that stemmed from the SES Regulation (EC) No 552/2004, which itself was repealed by the EASA Basic Regulation. As a result of this adaptation, it was adopted a new regulation on common airspace usage requirements and operating procedures addressing requirements for aircraft that operate within the single European sky airspace to be equipped with:
- data link services,
- voice channel spacing, and
- dependent collaborative surveillance.
ATM ground equipment conformity assessment
In 2023, the Commission adopted a new legislative framework on ATM/ANS ground equipment interoperability and related procedures to assess conformity of relevant equipment with the rules, including certification, and declarations against technical specifications and standards, when necessary. This regulatory framework aims to maintain safety or even increase it, ensure interoperability of the EATMN while reducing the regulatory burden, increase cost-effectiveness and ensure level playing field. It is suspected that it will reduce the fragmentation of the ATM/ANS (ground) equipment market, and facilitate industry cooperation at European level, while ensuring uniform implantation of a set of common technical specifications and its oversight. The regulatory framework sets out rules for the certification and declaration of certain ATM/ANS equipment as well as approval of organisations involved in its design or production once it has been found to comply with the applicable essential requirements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.