Network Management Board

In the context of the EU Single European Sky Initiative, the Network Management Board (NMB) is established by Regulation (EU) No.2024/2803 (the SES2+ Basic act). EUROCONTROL has been nominated by the European Commission as Network Manager for the years 2020-2029, based on Commission Implementing Decision C(2019)709, dated 6.5.2019. The NMB has been established with a view to ensuring appropriate governance over the execution of the network functions. The SES2+ Basic act sets forth the membership of the NMB and its various tasks. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/123 (Network Functions Implementing Rule) will continue to apply with the necessary changes until the adoption of new implementing acts under the SES2+ Basic act.

The Network Management Board shall be responsible for:

• approving or endorsing measures taken or proposed by the Network Manager;
• approving the specifications for the consultation and the detailed working arrangements;
• approving the Network Operations Plans;
• endorsing the NSP, after consulting and taking into account the opinion of the Member States, and before it is approved by the Commission;
• monitoring the implementation of network functions and for providing opinions or recommendations on specific issues; and
• any other measure necessary for the execution of the governance mechanisms;
• approving the proposals for remedial measures;
• monitoring the progress in the implementation of the Network Strategy Plan, the Network Operations Plan and the Network Performance Plan and addressing any potential deviations from initial plans;
• monitoring the activities related to management of the network functions and the performance of the tasks of the Network Manager, including the quality of the services it provides to operational stakeholders;
• monitoring the Network Manager’s activities related to network crises;
• approving the annual report;
• addressing the issues which are not solved at the level of the individual network function;
• endorsing the Network Manager’s annual budget;
• giving an opinion on possible additional functions that might be attributed to the Network Manager;
• Providing recommendations for the purpose of the monitoring of the performance of the infrastructure, including the corresponding cost benefit analyses;
• giving opinions on the development and provision of common network support services, including the corresponding cost benefit analyses;
• approving the cooperative arrangements;
• giving an opinion on the appointment of the manager of the Network Manager.

The Network Management Board has three working groups:

• NMB Budget Working Group (Chair a.i.: Mr Luc Laveyne, Senior Adviser Innovation and Single European Sky Policy – Managing Director SD Airport Grouping, ACI Europe)
• Network Directors of Operations (NDOP) Working Group (Chair: Mr Adrian Florea, Director Operational Department, ROMATSA; Vice-Chairs: Mr Guillaume Blandel, Director of Operations, DSNA; Mr Xavier Benavent, ENAIRE; Mr Marco Pellegrino, Head of Operations, Aeroporti di Roma (representing ACI in the NDOP); Mr Rory Sergison, Head of ATM Infrastructure, IATA; and Mr Raphaël Eyrolle, Head of the ATM-CNS/SESAR, Air France)
• Network Directors of Technology (NDTECH) Working Group (Chair: Mr Ulf Thibblin, LFV; Vice-Chairs: Mr Jörg Pikolin, Deutsche Lufthansa AG (representing A4E in the NDTECH), and Col. Ray Martin, Irish Air Corps)

The Board consists of voting and non-voting members.

The NMB's voting members include:

• one representative of air navigation service providers per functional airspace block;
• four representatives of commercial and non-commercial civil airspace users;
• two representatives of the airport operators;
• two representatives of the military as air navigation service providers and airspace users.

The Board also has the following non-voting members:

• the chairperson of the Network Management Board;
• one representative of the European Commission;
• the manager of the Network Manager;
• the chairperson of the working group on operations;
• the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) surveillance authority;
• two representatives of air navigation service providers of associated countries contributing to the work of the Network Manager;
• one representative of EUROCONTROL.

The NMB is also attended by the chairperson of the NMB Budget working group, and the chairperson of the working group on technology.

The Chairman of the Board is Mr Enrique Maurer-Somolinos, Director General, ENAIRE

The Vice-Chairs are: Mr Rory Sergison, Head of Air Traffic Management Infrastructure, Europe, IATA and Mr Giovanni Russo, COO at Geneva Airport (representing ACI EUROPE in the NMB).

The Network Manager regularly updates the Commission on the progress in the execution of network functions and the measures taken. The Commission informs its Member States of that progress and of those measures.

The Commission consults its Member States on the strategic issues of the network functions and takes into account their opinion.

An NMB Chair’s report is included in the report of EUROCONTROL’s Director General to each Provisional Council.