The operational impact of the Single European Sky and SESAR on Common Security and Defence Policy missions and military capabilities was the subject of a meeting of the European Parliament’s Sub Committee on Security and Defence on 18th September 2013.
The meeting welcomed the involvement of the military community in the SESAR Programme at different governance levels, starting with two representatives in the SJU Administrative Board. In addition, some 100 military experts from 10 European Member States are providing there input to the SESAR Programme activities. The Committee also highlighted the importance of the agreement that was struck in 2011 between the European Defence Agency and the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU), whereby the EDA acts as focal point ensuring participation of military authorities in all the relevant aspects of the Programme. With the EDA’s involvement, the SJU ensures that research and innovation take into consideration military aspects going beyond the European context, in particular paving the way to the involvement of NATO and other military key partners.
The need for the continued involvement of the military airspace users, particularly during the deployment phase of the programme was also stressed. Participants underlined the need to progress in the direction to ensure advanced flexible use of airspace, to eliminate as far as possible the rigidities faced still today, to harmonise air traffic control rules and architecture aspects and examine the business case for military airspace users.
The meeting heard the views of several organisations, represented as follows:
- Maurizio Castelletti, Head of Unit for the Single European Sky at European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport.
- Luc Tytgat Director of the Single Sky Directorate at EUROCONTROL.
- Carlo Borghini, Deputy Executive Director Administration and Finance, SESAR Joint Undertaking
- Giampaolo Lillo Director for Armaments Directorate at the European Defence Agency