This aims to set common technical and procedural rules, and thereby remove barriers to the harmonised use of ATM systems. The new legislation complements three Regulations adopted this year and last year in order to modernise air traffic management systems within the Single European Sky.

According to the EC, this legal instrument is another important step in the implementation of the Single Sky, as it supports the coordinated introduction in the air and on the ground of a more efficient technical solution in air navigation throughout Europe.

The new Regulation on 'voice channel spacing' foresees a reduction of the channel spacing from 25 to 8.33 kHz, and allows an increase in the number of frequencies available for air-ground communications and in the number of sectors used for air traffic management.

This increase in the number of frequencies and sectors available should allow for improving the capacity of the European air traffic management network.