Single European Sky Timeline

The Single European Sky helps the European air traffic management to solve current issues that affect air transport and to cope with future demand.

The two Single European Sky (SES) packages provide a legislative framework to meet future air transport safety, capacity and efficiency needs at European rather than at a national level. In this dossier find out what has been achieved so far, and what are the next steps to be made towards reaching a more efficient European airspace.

What has happened so far?

October 2001: the European Commission adopted proposals for a Single European Sky

March 2004: Adoption of Single European Sky first legislative package (SES I) by the European Parliament and the Council

July 2004: EUROCONTROL launches formal consultations on three of the seven Single European Sky mandates entrusted to it by the European Commission

November 2004: EUROCONTROL launches formal consultations on Single European Sky interoperability mandates

November 2005: EUROCONTROL signs a contract for the Definition Phase of SESAR

December 2006: EUROCONTROL accepts the second deliverable of the SESAR Definition Phase Contract

September 2007: EUROCONTROL accepts the SESAR ATM Target Concept

April 2008: EUROCONTROL agrees the SESAR Master Plan and the 2008-2013 Work Programme

June 2008: revision of the SES regulations were adopted under the name of Single European Sky second pakage (SES-II)

October 2008: The European Commission endorses the SES data-link services implementing rule drafted by EUROCONTROL which will see full-scale implementation of data-link services across Europe by 2015

November 2008: EUROCONTROL’s 38 Member States adopt an ambitious reform package to modernise the Organisation and to respond fully to the objectives of the Single European Sky

March 2009: EUROCONTROL welcomes the endorsement of the second Single European Sky package by EU Transport Ministers, following adoption by the European Parliament

End 2009: the SES II legislative package enters into force

September 2010: EUROCONTROL accepts the designation by the European Commission as the Performance Review Body under SES II

What will happen next?

End 2011: Implementing rules adopted by the European Commission. European targets and national/FABs performance plans adopted

2012: Performance scheme becomes operational

2012-2014: First reference period