Transcript Slide 1
EU Directive on Airport Charges Background and content Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 1 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 2 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) Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 3 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 4 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 5 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 6 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 7 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 8 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 9 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 10 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 11 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 12 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 13 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 Directorate-General for Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 14 Thank You For Your Attention! For more information: [email protected]. eu Or visit: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/a ir/airports/airports_en.htm Directorate-General Energy and Transport / Air Transport Directorate 15