EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 7.12.2015 SWD(2015) 261 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions An Aviation Strategy for Europe {COM(2015) 598 final} EN EN Table of Content CHAPTER I 'THE SUCCESS STORY OF EU AVIATION' ...................................................................7 1. A history of EU Aviation Policy ......................................................................................................7 2. The impact of EU Aviation Policy .................................................................................................15 3. The competitiveness of the different parts of the aviation value network ......................................20 3.1 Competitiveness of EU airlines in the global context ..............................................................20 3.2 Competitiveness of EU airports in the global context .............................................................24 3.3 Competitiveness of Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs), auxiliary industry, manufacturing .........................................................................................................................28 4. The future of the EU aviation sector in the world ..........................................................................32 CHAPTER II 'A COMPETITIVE EU AVIATION SECTOR TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY, GROWTH AND JOBS' ......................................................................................35 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................35 2. Enhancing the competitiveness of the EU air transport sector .......................................................36 2.1 A competitive assessment ........................................................................................................36 2.2 Competitiveness in the public opinion .....................................................................................36 3. Connectivity matters .......................................................................................................................37 3.1 Definitions, sources of analysis ...............................................................................................38 3.2 Connectivity within Europe .....................................................................................................39 3.3 Connectivity vis-à-vis other world regions ..............................................................................41 3.4 Connectivity gaps ....................................................................................................................43 3.5 Facilitating Member States' action for regional connectivity ..................................................43 3.6 Promoting international connectivity to the benefit of European consumers and businesses ...............................................................................................................................44 4. The profitability of the EU aviation value chain ............................................................................46 4.1 Promoting market access for EU airlines ................................................................................47 4.2 Insolvency laws in Europe .......................................................................................................48 5. The capacity and performance challenges ......................................................................................50 5.1 Completion of the Single European Sky (SES) .......................................................................51 5.2 Airport capacity: revision of the Slot Regulation and role of the Airport Observatory ..........53 5.3 The quality, efficiency and cost challenge at EU airports. The role of the Thessaloniki Forum of Airport Charges Regulators ....................................................................................56 CHAPTER III 'HIGH STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC CONFIDENCE, GROWTH AND JOBS' ..........61 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................61 2. Revising the EU aviation safety system .........................................................................................61 2.1 The safety picture of the EU aviation sector. Regulation 216/2008: lessons learned .............61 2.2 The way forward ......................................................................................................................62 2.3 The international dimension of the EU aviation safety system ...............................................65 3. Addressing security threats and vulnerabilities to civil aviation ....................................................67 3.1 The cost of aviation security. Investment in security: the One-Stop-Security concept ...........68 2 3.2 Aviation security equipment ....................................................................................................69 3.3 Air cargo security .....................................................................................................................69 3.4 The cybersecurity challenge ....................................................................................................69 4. Addressing decarbonisation, environmental protection and human health ....................................71 4.1 Environment in the public consultation ...................................................................................71 4.2 CO2 emissions: the climate change challenge .........................................................................71 4.3 Air traffic noise. Emissions and noise at airports ....................................................................72 4.4 Inter-modality ..........................................................................................................................73 4.5 Environmental sustainability of air transport ...........................................................................75 5. Addressing social, employment and change managements issues in civil aviation .......................75 5.1 A state of play ..........................................................................................................................75 5.2 Change management in civil aviation. .....................................................................................78 5.3 Highly mobile workers (contracts, social security and taxation) .............................................80 5.4 Airlines' rule shopping for air licences ....................................................................................81 5.5 Atypical forms of employment in civil aviation ......................................................................81 5.6 The international dimension ....................................................................................................82 6. Addressing social issues in air traffic management .......................................................................82 6.1. Problems for air traffic resulting from industrial action .........................................................82 6.2 Air traffic controller (ATCO) mobility ....................................................................................83 7. Passenger rights and consumer protection: Revision of the passenger rights' regulation. Application of the existing rules ....................................................................................................83 7.1 Revision of the passenger rights' regulation ............................................................................84 8. Consumer protection in civil aviation ............................................................................................84 9. High standards in business conduct & unfair practices in the global aviation market ...................86 CHAPTER IV 'HIGH STANDARDS FOR INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE IN EUROPE' .........88 1. Setting the foundation for a high standard Single European Sky institutional governance ...........88 2. High standards in cooperation and coordination between European aviation organizations .........88 CHAPTER V 'STRENGTHENING EUROPEAN AVIATION THROUGH RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND INVESTMENT' ..............................................................................................90 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................90 2. Flightpath 2050 and strategic research and innovation agenda (SRIA) recommendations ............91 3. Modernization of ATM through SESAR Research and Deployment ............................................94 4. Development of new types of aircraft and air vehicles ..................................................................96 4.1 Safe development of drone operations .....................................................................................97 4.2 Improving certification as gate from research to innovation. ..................................................99 5. Digitalising European aviation to the benefit of both cargo and passenger transport ..................100 5.1 Improving infrastructure and service provision by deploying and optimising the use of ICT ....................................................................................................................................100