ISIS PROGRAMME LAUNCH: A FURTHER STEP TO THE EXTENSION OF THE SINGLE EUROPEAN SKY TO THE SOUTH EAST

Brussels (Belgium), 28 april 2008 - On 22 nd April 2008, eight States of South East Europe, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the , the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, and the Regional Co-operation Council, agreed to launch the Support Programme ISIS (Implementationof the Single European Sky InSouth East Europe).

Press release ISIS agreement

Brussels, 28th April 2008

ISIS Programme launch: a further step to the extension of the Single European Sky to the South East Europe

On 22nd April 2008, eight States of South East Europe, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the European Commission, the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, and the Regional Co-operation Council, agreed to launch the Support Programme ISIS (Implementation of the Single European Sky In South East Europe).

The Single European Sky (SES) launched in 2004 aims to reform the architecture of the European to meet future capacity and safety needs. In that context, the support to the extension of the Single European Sky (SES) to our neighbours, and to South East Europe in particular, is an integral part of the European Commission policies and of the SES Framework regulation. The South East Europe is a strategic area to guarantee a smooth, safe and secured air traffic flow between the and the south and south-east networks. Aviation is essential to connect people and companies. A better connection between the EU and the neighbours and other third countries contributes to trade and economic developments. It is then essential to improve and develop the conditions that will permit to the States of the region to play a key role in the future European air navigation network, with the highest standards. The ISIS support programme (Implementation of the Single European Sky In South East Europe) emerges from the previous SEE FABA initiative that has been stopped accordingly. ISIS has been launched by all the States and organisations involved in this geographical area with the intention to help the interconnection between national air navigation network infrastructures and services and to align rules and standards with Single European Sky Regulations. Compared to the SEE FABA initiative, the ISIS Programme is not aiming to establish Functional Airspace Blocks (FAB) in the Region, but will rather provide the support to help the transposition of SES regulations into national law. As such, ISIS intends to provide national staff in charge of air traffic management with the adequate knowledge and understanding of the SES legislation and will also help the establishment of well functioning structures. As an important element of the Single European Sky, the set up of FABs in the South East Europe will however remain under national decision making processes and should not be subject to funding through ISIS. A better integration of national networks will foster regional cooperation and integration not only between the EU and its neighbours, but also between the countries of the region themselves. In consequence, the Agreement will lead to equally high standards in terms of safety and security across Europe, the Associated Parties having accepted the EU legislation in the area of air traffic management. ISIS will also help the regional Members of the European Aviation Common Area (ECAA) to comply with their obligations in the field of air traffic management. "Achieving the criteria of the regulations of Single European Sky reflects the willingness of the countries of South East Europe to move beyond the traditional national approach to air traffic management towards a more integrated European perspective. Preparation for integration into European structures and ultimate membership into the European Union, through adoption of European rules, is the challenge ahead. ISIS shows the continuity of the perspective given by the EC during the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Thessaloniki in 2003", declared Dr Erhard Busek, Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. The Secretary General of the newly born Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, underlined that infrastructure namely transport and energy are key priorities for further regional development and consequently figure on top of the agenda of the RCC, which inherits the mandate of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe to coordinate regional cooperation in South East Europe. In this context, Secretary General Hido Biscevic highly welcomed this new support programme ISIS, especially in the perspective of regional cooperation and regional ownership. The European Commission and the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe underlined the importance of this initiative for the region and confirmed their commitment to provide the political framework and the appropriate support to the conduct of the new ISIS support programme. They also invited Partners and Donors to support and assist the Support Programme, to develop twinning arrangements with European Union Member States, while establishing a performance partnership between all the stakeholders concerned. In the context of the extension of Trans-European Network and of the European Common Aviation Area, this Programme might constitute a supporting instrument to be proposed to other States or Group of States that will choose in the future to join the Single European Sky and transpose its legislation. Mr Karsten Theil, ICAO Regional Director of the European and Atlantic office (EUR/NAT) has expressed his support to the signed agreement, recalling the conclusions of the 11th ICAO Air navigation Conference which recognised that whilst the Single European Sky initiative was developed to deal with the unique problems of a particular region, the project, or parts of it, might be adaptable to other regions or for global use as part of the ongoing effort to achieve an interoperable and more seamless global ATM. The participants have already agreed to conduct ISIS in a step approach and have decided to prioritise four projects out of nine proposed, to be launched as soon as possible: support to transposition of SES legislation, capacity building of National Supervisory Authorities (NSA), establishment of training and licensing legislation, Just Culture. Appropriate arrangements shall be concluded with international organisations like ICAO, , NATO, as well as with several EU States through twinning arrangements, in order to assist the European Commission to conduct the Programme by providing the necessary expertise. All relevant civil and military stakeholders shall be associated to the ISIS Programme, and in particular social partners, airspace users, air navigation service providers. It is also foreseen at a later stage to ensure appropriate interface with adjacent initiatives. The agreement has been signed on the 28th of April 2008 in Stockholm by the Director General of Civil Aviation of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the representative of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) as per UN Security Council resolution No. 1244, as well as the European Commission, the Stability Pact for South East Europe and the Regional Cooperation Council. The participants agreed to propose to the Ministers to confirm political support to this initiative. The ISIS Programme has been launched with immediate effect.