The European Union (EU) will sign up as a member of Eurocontrol on 8 October, joining the 31 single-nation member states. This will radically alter the influence of Eurocontrol within the EU states, enabling it eventually to create and enforce air navigation and air traffic services provision regulation. As a devolved specialist of the European Commission, Eurocontrol will gain the legal power to enforce agreed air traffic management (ATM) standards across the EU. At present Eurocontrol is a forum for formulating agreed standard ATM practices, but cannot enforce the standards in member countires, even those in the EU.
Source: Flight International
