As a milestone of Rulemaking Task 0464, on 16 September 2016, the Agency has published its NPA 2016-09 ‘Requirements for Air Traffic Services’ with the objective to harmonise the provision of such essential air navigation services throughout the Union and, consequently, to maintain a high and uniform level of safety in aviation.

The NPA proposes a comprehensive set of measures (IRs, AMC and GM) addressing, to the required level of detail, the provision of Air Traffic Services; the large majority of these measures is based on the applicable ICAO provisions, in particular those in Annex 11 and PANS ATM, adapted to the EU legislative system and conventions. The proposed ‘transposition’ of ICAO material into the EU legislation has been performed in full respect of the Member States’ obligations stemming from the Chicago Convention; therefore, those who were already compliant with ICAO would have no difficulty to align to the proposed legislative framework.

The proposed measures are fully consistent with and complementary to other EU ATM/ANS-related legislation, and in particular with Regulation (EU) 923/2012 (Standardised European Rules of the Air – SERA) and its subsequent amendments, the Single European Sky Regulations, and with Regulation (EU) 2016/1377, the so-called ‘ATM/ANS Common Requirements Regulation’.

As an innovation, the NPA includes a set of high-level requirements for the provision of Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS), which is not explicitly addressed within the current ICAO framework.

It supports the appropriate selection of Air Traffic Services to be provided at aerodromes and harmonises the principles for working methods and operational procedures, thus enhancing safety. Furthermore, by recognising that at some aerodromes local activities may be facilitated by the so-called ‘Unicom stations’, which are not subject to the proposed EU ATS scope and are to be regulated under national schemes.

This solution aims at ensuring proportionality and prevents any negative impact for local aerodromes, typically used by general aviation.

The NPA 2016-09 is divided in two sub-parts:

• sub-NPA(A) includes:

• the procedural information pertaining to the regulatory proposal;
• the explanatory note to the proposed amendments; and
• the regulatory impact assessment.

• sub-NPA(B) includes the proposed amendments (Implementing Rule and Acceptable Means of Compliance Guidance Material).

The following informative material is published as a support for a better understanding of the NPA Documents:

• Summary of the EASA survey on Aerodrome Flight Information Service;
• ICAO Annex 11 Checklist
• ICAO PANS ATM Checklist