2023/2481

14.11.2023

COMMISSION DECISION (EU) 2023/2481

of 10 November 2023

laying down indicative ranges for the Union-wide performance targets for the air traffic management network for the fourth reference period (2025-2029)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 laying down the framework for the creation of the single European sky (the framework Regulation) (1), and in particular Article 11(3), point (a), thereof,

Having regard to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317 of 11 February 2019 laying down a performance and charging scheme in the single European sky and repealing Implementing Regulations (EU) No 390/2013 and (EU) No 391/2013 (2), and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Article 11(3), point (a), of Regulation (EC) No 549/2004, the Commission is responsible for setting, for each reference period of the performance and charging scheme for air navigation services and network functions, Union-wide performance targets in the key performance areas of safety, environment, capacity and cost-efficiency. Detailed rules regarding the setting of those Union-wide performance targets by the Commission are set out in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317.

(2) The Union-wide performance targets for the fourth reference period (‘RP4’), which covers the calendar years 2025 to 2029 inclusive, are to be adopted by 1 June 2024.

(3) In preparation of those Union-wide performance targets, Article 9(2) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/317 requires the Commission to publish indicative target ranges for each key performance area (‘KPA’), consisting of the annual minimum and maximum values within which the Commission intends to set the Union-wide performance targets. Those indicative target ranges are to be used by the Commission for the purpose of consulting the stakeholders referred to in Article 10(3) of Regulation (EC) No 549/2004, other relevant persons and organisations and, regarding safety aspects, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (‘EASA’).

(4) The Performance Review Body (‘PRB’) designated by the Commission in accordance with Article 11(2) of Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 proposed indicative Union-wide performance target ranges for RP4 in a report submitted to the Commission on 29 September 2023.

(5) In that report, the PRB presented in detail the assumptions, rationale and analysis underlying the proposed indicative target ranges in the key performance areas of safety, environment, capacity and cost-efficiency. As regards the traffic evolution foreseen for RP4, the PRB made use of the latest available Eurocontrol STATFOR base traffic forecast, published on 31 March 2023.

(6) The indicative Union-wide performance target ranges set out in this Decision should be based on the values proposed by the PRB in its report referred to in recitals (4) and (5), and should be underpinned by the robust methodology, comprehensive data, and extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis presented in that report.

(7) In respect of the KPA of safety, consideration should be given to the improvements in the effectiveness of safety management achieved during the third reference period (‘RP3’) and to the further improvements necessary in the light of the latest regulatory and operational developments.

(8) For the purpose of calculating the indicative Union-wide performance target ranges for the environment KPA, consideration should be given to the historical performance achieved in that KPA, the estimated benefits resulting from measures set out in the European Route Network Improvement Plan referred to in Annex I to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/123 (3), in its version published in July 2023 (4), and the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on air traffic flows in the airspace. Furthermore, the proposed indicative Union-wide performance target ranges in the environment KPA should take into account the results of a study conducted by the PRB on the interdependencies between the environment and capacity KPAs, which has been used to appraise the impact of expected capacity constraints on the environment KPA in RP4.

(9) For the purpose of calculating the indicative Union-wide performance target ranges for the capacity KPA, consideration should be given firstly to the historical capacity performance of Air Navigation Service Providers (‘ANSPs’), with a focus on the air traffic flow management (‘ATFM’) delays due to air traffic control (‘ATC’) capacity restrictions or ATC staffing reasons. Secondly, to the historical occurrence of air navigation service disruptions due to non-ATC related causes together with the impact of adverse weather-related delays on capacity provision. Thirdly, to the capacity improvement plans of ‘ANSPs’ which are included in the European Network Operations Plan referred to in Article 9 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/123, in its Annexes published in April 2023 (5). In respect of operational benefits expected in RP4 from the air traffic management (‘ATM’) functionalities part of the SESAR ‘Common Project One’ and laid down in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/116 (6), for the development of indicative Union-wide performance target ranges for RP4 consideration should be given to the analysis produced by the SESAR Deployment Manager and annexed to the PRB report.

(10) In respect of the KPA of cost-efficiency, the preliminary cost and traffic data for RP4 submitted by Member States by 1 June 2023 should be used as one of the inputs for the calculation of indicative Union-wide performance target ranges for RP4. The indicative Union-wide performance target ranges are further underpinned by the PRB’s forward-looking expert analysis of the RP4 cost bases and of the potential for cost-efficiency improvements during RP4, taking account of interdependencies with other KPAs. Consideration should be also given to an analysis of the estimated cost inefficiencies in the provision of en route air navigation services within the scope of the performance and charging scheme,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The indicative Union-wide performance target ranges for the fourth reference period (‘RP4’), consisting of the annual minimum and maximum values within which the Commission intends to set those Union-wide performance targets, are set out in the Annex.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

Done at Brussels, 10 November 2023.

For the Commission

The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1)

OJ L 96, 31.3.2004, p. 1

(2)

OJ L 56, 25.2.2019, p. 1

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/123 of 24 January 2019 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of air traffic management (ATM) network functions and repealing Commission Regulation (EU) No 677/2011 (

OJ L 28, 31.1.2019, p. 1

(4) https://www.eurocontrol.int/publication/european-route-network-improvement-plan-ernip-part-2

(5) https://www.eurocontrol.int/publication/european-network-operations-plan-2023-2027

(6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/116 of 1 February 2021 on the establishment of the Common Project One supporting the implementation of the European Air Traffic Management Master Plan provided for in Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 409/2013 and repealing Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 716/2014 (

OJ L 36, 2.2.2021, p. 10

ANNEX

Indicative ranges for the Union-wide performance targets for the fourth reference period (‘RP4’)

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA OF SAFETY

Effectiveness of safety management, ranging from EASA level A to D

Level of effectiveness of safety management to be achieved by air navigation service providers, broken down per safety management objective	Lower bound for Union-wide targets (to be achieved by 2029)	Upper bound for Union-wide targets (to be achieved by 2029)
Safety policy and objectives	C	C
Safety risk management	D	D
Safety assurance	C	C
Safety promotion	C	C
Safety culture	C	C

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA OF ENVIRONMENT

Average horizontal

en route

flight efficiency of the actual trajectory

Average horizontal en route flight efficiency of the actual trajectory, expressed as a percentage	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
Upper bound for Union-wide targets	2,71 %	2,70 %	2,69 %	2,67 %	2,66 %
Lower bound for Union-wide targets	2,49 %	2,46 %	2,44 %	2,42 %	2,39 %

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA OF CAPACITY

Average

en route

air traffic flow management (‘ATFM’) delay in minutes per flight

Average en route ATFM delay, expressed in minutes per flight	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
Upper bound for Union-wide targets	0,50	0,50	0,50	0,40	0,40
Lower bound for Union-wide targets	0,41	0,38	0,35	0,33	0,31

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA OF COST-EFFICIENCY

Year-on-year change of the average Union-wide

en route

determined unit cost (‘DUC’) for

en route

air navigation services

Year-on-year change of the average en route Union-wide DUC, expressed as a percentage	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
Upper bound for Union-wide targets	–0,7 %	–0,7 %	–0,7 %	–0,7 %	–0,7 %
Lower bound for Union-wide targets	–3,1 %	–3,1 %	–3,1 %	–3,1 %	–3,1 %

Baseline value for the average en route Union-wide DUC for RP4, expressed in real terms in EUR 2022	2024
Estimated baseline value for the RP4 Union-wide cost-efficiency performance target ranges	55,61 EUR

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2023/2481/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)