CAA fears harmonised approach and departure fee proposal will burden small airports
The UK is leading opposition to a proposed change in Eurocontrol's navigation charge structure, Flight International has learned, fearing it could place an unnecessary burden on regional airports.
The European air traffic control regulator put out a consultation document on a new fee structure in September last year, which envisaged harmonising all air service navigation provider (ANSP) approach and departure service charges for all airports with more than 10,000 movements a year as part of Single European Sky (SES) regulations (Flight International, 13-20 July 2004). Eurocontrol collects and distributes only en-route navigation charges on behalf of national ANSPs.
The changes were adopted by the European Commission, which published a draft implementation rule last month. The EC wants to bring in the rule to reduce monopolistic practices and to streamline largely state-run services in much of Europe. The issue is being debated in the SES Committee before a full proposal is presented to governments at the end of the year. The UK Civil Aviation Authority and transport ministry are understood to have pushed plans to include an opt-out for airports where service providers compete.
Alex Plant, the CAA's head of economic policy for international aviation, told the Leuven University Institute for International Law conference on 20 May that the thinking does not take into account competition among ANSPs in the UK. "They have proposed charges for en-route to approach for everything above 10,000 movements a year to capture aerodromes in small states, but in countries like the UK, where you have a contestable market for ANSP at small airports, it will only create cost," he said.
Competition may come from self-provision of tower services or a third party, or the threat of airlines moving their scheduled services to another airport. Germany and the Netherlands have also moved their ANSP regulation towards competing service providers and are expected to back the UK in arguing for an opt-out.
Eurocontrol says any decision on the movement threshold is an EU policy issue, adding that discussions are ongoing and might be finalised by the end of the year.
The UK CAA says it is concerned that the changes would introduce state involvement in the UK airport ANSP market, which is "essentially" contestable.
The CAA also issued plans last week to "engage" airlines in talks over any new charge structure for BAA-run London and Manchester airports where it controls charges.
JUSTIN WASTNAGE/BRUSSELS
Source: Flight International
