The overarching goal of the EU Aviation Strategy should be to improve the investment climate, with a view to encouraging European investment in the EU aviation industry, increasing competitiveness within the sector and enhancing the sector's role in the economy, thus promoting overall economic growth and the creation of new jobs. This was the main conclusion of the EESC opinion on the Aviation Package adopted on 14 July at the EESC Plenary Session. This opinion constitutes a compromise between all civil society representatives on the Commission's proposal for European aviation.

“When preparing the opinion, I found experiences from both the research and deployment phases of SESAR to be very useful. Personally, I see SESAR as a case study on how to achieve the aforementioned goals. SESAR is an example of how to successfully encourage investors to put money into the European aviation sector. SESAR already applies a holistic approach to aviation, inter alia, through multi-sectorial research and efficient cooperation between businesses, governments and academia. Finally, SESAR managed to gather numerous stakeholders who, under its leadership, jointly support further development of the project. These similarities offer hope that with sufficient determination and proper implementation the Aviation Strategy will succeed,” said Jacek P. Krawczyk, President of the Employers' Group European Economic and Social Committee EESC rapporteur on Aviation Package I (TEN/581).

The Commission's Aviation Strategy is based upon a "holistic" approach to aviation, which means a more in-depth, multidisciplinary evaluation of the sector. The EESC Opinion noted that the role of Member States, but also of other parts of the aviation value network (like manufacturers) needs to be further addressed in the implementation of the strategy. The Strategy will only succeed with strong political leadership at the Commission and wide-ranging stakeholder support. Stakeholders should be included in the implementation of the plan, it noted.

The EESC welcomed the fact that the Commission's initiative has put the multifaceted role of aviation back on the political radar-screen, both within Europe and internationally. It also raises awareness among regulators of the need for a broader review of the aviation industry's needs – from a regulatory, infrastructural, social, economic and environmental perspective.