Transcript Slide 1
EU Directive on Airport
Charges
Background and content
Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate
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A consistent Community
Aviation Policy
Point of departure: EC’s overall objectives
To overcome fragmentation through a Single
Aviation Market which guarantees full access
without discrimination
To ensure the proper functioning of the Single
Market through common rules and standards
To attain an efficient and sustainable air
transport system
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Single Market Based on High
Common EU Standards
The EU occupies the ground with common rules in most relevant
areas of aviation:
Licenses, fares, market access (1992)
Air passenger rights (1991 + 2004)
CRS (1989)
Noise (1992 + 2002)
Safety (2002 [EASA] + 2004 [SAFA] + 2006 [Black list ])
Insurance (2004)
Including Airports:
Allocation of slots (1993 + 2004)
Groundhandling (1996)
Security (2002 + 2008 + Implementing Rules)
ATM - Single European Sky (2004) – SESAR
Strict competition and state aid rules (EC Treaty)
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To enhance the Community
Framework for Airports
Facing the ”capacity crunch”:
2025 could see up to 2.5 times the 2003 traffic
In 2025, 60 airports could be heavily congested,
and the top 20 airports could be constrained 810 hrs. per day
Only 25% of airport would have a possibility to
add new runways in the next 20 years
There is a need to act at EU level
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The Airport Package
Airport Package: 3 key initiatives
Proposal for a Directive on airport charges;
Action plan for airport capacity, efficiency & safety in
Europe;
Report on the application of Directive (EC) 96/67 on
access to the ground handling market at Community
Airports.
Documents available on:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal/airports/index_en.htm
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The Airport Package: Ground
Handling and the Action Plan
Main objectives of Directive 96/67 reached in most of
the Member States (Report 2007)
Need to examine more comprehensively the effects
of the Directive (Jensen Report)
Better use of existing capacities
New technologies
Intermodality / Comodality
Establish an EU Observatory on airport capacity
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The Airport Package: Airport
Charges
Airport Charges:
Air Carriers complain about:
Monopolistic behaviour by some airports
Lack of transparency and consultation
Difficult to appeal airport charges
Airports need legal certainty for new practices: differentiation of
charges, volume rebates and environmental charges
Competition rules of EU Treaty difficult to apply: difficult to assess
whether an airport has a dominant position in the market
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Airport Charges
Scope
Largest airport per Member State
All airports with more than 5 million
passengers per year
Following services exclusively provided by
the airport:
Landing and take-off
Processing of passengers and freight
Lighting and parking
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Airport Charges
Non-discrimination
Modulation
to promote public and general interest
such as for environmental reasons. Shall
be: relevant, objective and transparent
Differentiation of services
Access based on relevant, objective,
transparent and non-discriminatory
criteria
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Airport Charges: Consultation
Regular and annual
Unless multi-annual agreements between
the parties
Airport submits its proposal 4 months
before entry into force
Decision published 2 months before
entry into force
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Airport Charges: Transparency
Methodology for setting the charges
Complete list of all charges and
associated revenues and costs
Forecasts of charges and traffic
Information shall not be distributed to
other parties
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Airport Charges: Independent
supervisory authority
One in each Member State
Shall have access to necessary
information
Appealed modifications do not take
immediate effect
Interim decision within 4 weeks
Decision shall be taken within 4 (+2)
months
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Airport Charges: Other provisions
Airport systems and networks
Allows for a common and transparent
charging system
Consultation on new infrastructure
Ensure input from the airlines
Service Level Agreements
Can be part of the regular consultations
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The Airport Package: Airport
Charges
Adopted on 11 March 2009 - After two readings of
the European Parliament and the Council
Modified elements compared to the Commission
proposal
– in the scope of application
– deletion of security charges
– complaint procedures
New elements compared to the Commission
proposal
– common charging systems
– modulation of charges
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Thank You For Your Attention!
For more information:
[email protected].
eu
Or visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/a
ir/airports/airports_en.htm
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