Regulatory Package For European Airports Put Forward

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

26 January 2007

The European Commission on Wednesday adopted an "airport package" consisting of three key initiatives: a proposal for a directive on airport charges, a communication on airport capacity, efficiency and safety in Europe and a report on the implementation of the groundhandling directive.

The package focuses on the role of airports in the further development and competitiveness of the European internal aviation market, and will mark the future of airport regulation in Europe by ensuring regulatory convergence between Member States.

European Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot, who has responsibility for transport, stated that:

"In compliance with the Lisbon agenda objectives, Europe's airports have a vital role to play as a key driver for ensuring the economic and social competitiveness of Europe. Until now European airports have been faced with diverse regulatory, commercial and external challenges regarding issues such as capacity, financing and the environment. The aim of these new measures is to offer a common set of rules to be applied and enforced uniformly throughout Europe."

"Much deliberation, thought and consultation has gone into preparing this package and I truly believe that it represents a milestone in the formation of a pan-European regulatory framework for European airports," he added.

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