Effective cost-recovery system
Central Route Charges Office
Reaching CRCO Customer Relations
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About
EUROCONTROL collects route charges on behalf of its Member States through its Central Route Charges Office (CRCO). The CRCO runs an effective and centralised system which ensures that these charges – essential to the funding of the European air traffic management system – are recovered. Our services include billing, collecting and disbursing route charges to Member States. We also offer similar services for terminal navigation charges and communication charges for Member States, as well as air navigation charges (en-route and terminal) for non-Member States.
Our route charges system is a regional cost-recovery system, in line with ICAO’s charging policies and the Single European Sky regulations. We bill airspace users on a monthly basis, collect charges and distribute the amounts collected to the States and air navigation service providers.
Cost-related
Charges reflect the costs of provision of en route air navigation services, in accordance with the EUROCONTROL principles.
Simple
A single bill per month, in a single currency, is prepared for airspace users for all their flights in the airspace of the Member States.
Non-discriminatory
Charges are calculated with the same rules, the same formula and the same tariffs applied to all airspace users.
Cost-effective
Low-collection costs thanks to economies of scale and a high-recovery rate.
Centralised
Our system is operated centrally in accordance with a common policy.
Safe
We protect your personal data and make sure you stay in control of it. Read the Privacy Statement to find out more.
Fraud warning
Individuals may try to communicate bank account numbers by e-mail. We never communicate bank account numbers by e-mail. Any payments for charges must be made to the bank account numbers mentioned on our bills. Be suspicious of billing information you receive via email, especially if you are asked for financial information about your account or if a new bank account is communicated to you! We have no plans to change our bank accounts, so report any such information. Contact us for more information
billed in charges
airspace users worldwide
Recovery rate over the last 10 years
Focus
Airspace users flying in the airspace of the Member States pay for the en route air navigation services made available by Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs). Route charges billed to users are based on the national unit rates applicable as from 1 January each year. For more information, see:
Each month, at the billing date scheduled in advance for the whole year, airspace users are charged with a single amount per flight, regardless of how many States they overflew. We send our bills by post and make them available for download via our secured extranet CEFA. Some States may exempt certain flights from the payment of charges in accordance with their laws and regulations.
Airspace users have to pay their EUROCONTROL bills within 30 days of their date of issue. Interest on late payment will be applied to airspace users paying late. Late payment may also result in enforced recovery measures.
Payments should be made exclusively to the specific bank accounts listed on EUROCONTROL bills. Payments can be effected by bank transfer. For more information see:
If you believe that you have been incorrectly billed, you can submit a claim within 60 days from the date of the bill, together with the relevant supporting evidence. To facilitate the submission of claims, the following forms are available:
Key documents
Multilateral route charges
The latest information circulars.
Terminal navigation charges
The latest information circulars.
Other air navigation charges
The latest information circulars.
Monthly adjusted en-route unit rates
The latest monthly adjusted en-route unit rates.
Service units monitoring and forecasts
The latest monitoring and STATFOR forecasts.
Route charges rules and policies
The rules and procedures of the route charges.
Useful information for users
Customer guide, billing calendar, notice for new users, exemptions table, claim form.
Information on CRCO and Route Charges
Annual report on operations and overview on cost bases and unit rates.
Tools
Central Route Charges Office Portal for airspace users
Central Route Charges Office Portal for National Administrations
Route per State overflown distance tool
Service units dashboard
Keep your info up-to-date
If you have started operating in the EUROCONTROL zone or if you want to inform us about a change in your contact details, you are requested to fill in the form below. You can consult the information we already have on record via our Central Route Charges Office Extranet for airspace users (CEFA).
To establish the weight factor for billing, airspace users are requested, at least once a year, to make a declaration of their fleet composition. To do so, just update your fleet data on CEFA. If you don’t yet have a CEFA account, just fill out the form below - you can use it at any time to inform us about changes to your fleet composition.
We offer a wide range of services to States and ANSPs interested in being part of our charging system
Governance
The route charges system is governed by the EUROCONTROL Convention and the Multilateral Agreement relating to Route Charges.
Route charging Rules & Policies
At EUROCONTROL we aim to deliver a cost-effective service to our customers in the most transparent way. In line with this objective, we have listed the core documents that describe our rules and procedures as stipulated by our member States.
- EUROCONTROL - Principles for Establishing the Cost-Base for En-Route Charges and the Calculation of the Unit Rates
- EUROCONTROL - Guidance on the rules and procedures of the route charges system
- EUROCONTROL - Conditions of application of the route charges system and conditions of payment
- EUROCONTROL - Multilateral agreement relating to route charges
- ICAO - Policies on Charges for Airports and Air Navigation Services
- European Union - Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 laying down the framework for the creation of the single European sky
- European Union - Statement by the Member States on military issues related to the single European sky
- European Union - Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 on the provision of air navigation services in the single European sky
- European Union - Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317 of 11 February 2019 laying down a performance and charging scheme in the single European sky and repealing Implementing Regulations (EU) No 390/2013 and (EU) No 391/2013
- European Union - Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1627 of 3 November 2020 on exceptional measures for the third reference period (2020-2024) of the single European sky performance and charging scheme due to the COVID-19 pandemic