Air transport: Community air traffic controller licence, Single European Sky package

2004/0146(COD)

PURPOSE: the establishment of a “Community air traffic controller licence”.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive 2006/23/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Community air traffic controller licence.

CONTENT: this Act forms part of the “Single European Sky” legislation. The objective of the Directive is to increase safety standards and to improve the operation of the EU’s air traffic control system by issuing a Community air traffic controller licence. The Directive applies to student air traffic controllers and to air traffic controllers, who offer their services to aircraft movement of general air traffic.

This Directive sets our a comprehensive set of provisions on the establishment of a Community licence in which the following rules apply:

-          Member States will be responsible for setting up “national supervisory authorities” who will be responsible for assuming the tasks set out in the Directive. For example, certifying the technical and operational competence of training courses and issuing any certificates. They must be independent of air navigation service providers and of training providers.

-          Any provider of air traffic control services may only provide personnel who are holders of the Community licence.

-          Various conditions are set out for obtaining a licence and include, variously, holding a valid medical certificate plus age requirements. The exact training and examination requirements have been set out in Annex to the Directive and are based on international standards.

-          Provisions are given relating to air traffic controller ratings as well as rating endorsements.

-          Air traffic controllers must be able to prove that they can demonstrate an ability to speak and understand English to a satisfactory standard. Their proficiency will be determined in accordance with language proficiency ratings which are set out in Annex. For reasons of safety, Member States may impose local language requirements.

-          Member States are obliged to recognise licences and their associated ratings, rating endorsements and language endorsements issued by the national supervisory authority of another Member State .

-          Member States will be responsible for establishing penalties  applicable to infringements of the national provisions. The penalties must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. Member States must notify these provisions to the Commission by 17 May 2008.

TRANSPOSITION: 17 May 2008. Provisions concerning “Language Endorsements” (article 8) must be brought into force before 17 May 2010.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 17 May 2006.