European Commission consultation on Air Services Regulation revision

17 May 2022: Given the comprehensiveness of the questions, the deadline to the survey on a possible revision of the Air Services Regulation has been extended until Friday 10 June.

The responses to the ongoing survey are of extreme importance to support our asks for changes to the current provisions of the Air Services Regulation. In this regard, providing quantitative estimates can help the Commission to analyse the expected impacts of any policy changes.

We are currently drafting ERA's response. Please contact Solene.Flahault@eraa.org if have any further input. The survey questionnaire is accessible via this link.

Alternatively, please feel free to share the survey with colleagues who might be able to respond, using the following generic link: https://eu.questionpro.com/t/AB3urY5ZB3vPaH

Do not hesitate to contact us if you prefer to answer the questions through a short call.

If you have any specific questions or concerns, please feel free to get in touch. Alternatively, for more information on this stakeholder consultation, contact DG MOVE at MOVE-AIR-SERVICES-REGULATION@ec.europa.eu.

8 March 2022: The awaited public consultation on the revision of the Air Services Regulation 1008/2008 was launched on 3 March and is open until 26 May 2022. The Regulation needs to be revisited to take account not only of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and lessons learnt during the pandemic, but also the objectives of the Commission set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission planned a review of the Air Services Regulation to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.

The evaluation published in 2019 identified possible areas for improvement including conditions for the granting of an operating licence, insufficient clarity in some provisions, such as on public service obligations or price transparency. However, in 2020 the Commission put the initiative on hold to assess the structural impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the sector.

The commission believes that suboptimal rules may result in a loss of air connectivity, competitiveness in global aviation markets but could also mean a loss of quality jobs, or hamper EU airlines’ green transition.

The review will take into account proposals aimed at decarbonising aviation by 2050 and supporting EU airlines’ green transition, including sustainable aviation fuels, as well as the review of the general EU passenger rights framework, and the Package Travel Directive, which are being carried out in parallel.

The adoption of the new Air services regulation is expected by the fourth quarter of 2022.

ERA responded to the call for evidence in December 2021, and will draft a joint response to this consultation in the coming weeks.

For more information, see this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13255-Revision-of-the-Air-Services-Regulation_en