The EU Council reached an agreement on air traffic management reform

The EU Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council, held in Luxembourg, adopted a common position on the European Commission’s legislative proposal on the reform of the Single European Sky.

The representatives of the Member States agreed on the position “general approach” regarding the reform, which aims to optimize European airspace management and the air navigation service system by increasing capacity, improving cost-efficiency and  boosing the system’s ability to adapt to changes in traffic. The changes are also expected to reduce aviation CO2 footprint.  

BULATSA was actively involved in drafting the position  of the Republic of Bulgaria, with concrete proposals on the texts in the adopted documents. The opinions presented are the basis for the Council’s balanced approach in achieving set objectives and forming effective solutions.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Christina Velinova expressed Bulgaria’s support for the main goals of the Single European Sky. According to her, the compromise texts proposed by the Portuguese Presidency are a major step in the right direction.

The agreement on the Council’s “general approach” gives a green light to the EU Presidency to start negotiations with the European Parliament on the final version of the text. At the end of June 2021, the legislative proposal will be adopted in the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), which will kick off an inter-institutional trialogue between the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament.