SES Performance and Charging Scheme

The performance and charging schemes are established on the basis of Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 laying down the framework for the creation of the single European sky (the Framework Regulation) and Articles 14-16 of Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 on the provision of air navigation services in the single European sky (the Service Provision Regulation).

The implementing rules to these Regulations are laid down in 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.

The regulatory framework defines key performance indicators for safety, environment, capacity and cost-efficiency. They are used to set performance targets at Union level and national or FAB levels. The key performance indicators cover both en route and terminal air navigation services, as well as network functions, in order to improve the overall performance of the network.

The Performance Review Body is established on the basis of Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 and is set up by Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/2296 of 16 December 2016 setting up the independent group of experts designated as Performance Review Body of the single European sky.

The future regulatory framework for the performance and charging scheme will depend on the outcome of the SES2+ proposals. Performance target setting for the fourth reference period (RP4) starting in 2025, is hence being done based on existing rules, given the legal deadlines for the setting of performance targets at Union-wide and local levels.

The implementing rules on the performance scheme are not planned to be substantively modified for RP4. Possible amendments are planned to be limited to improvements in the monitoring of environmental performance and possibly certain other purely technical adjustments. To support the preparation of these changes, a study on the further development of the performance and charging scheme has been launched.

The Commission services are preparing the Union-wide performance targets for RP4 with the support of the Performance Review Body (PRB). The Commission has received from Member States their initial data on the RP4 cost bases and traffic forecasts for the relevant charging zones, as input to the setting of Union-wide performance targets.

The PRB submitted its advice to the Commission on target ranges on 29 September 2023 and the stakeholder consultation on that topic took place on 8 November 2023. By end February/beginning March 2024, the PRB will publish its advice on RP4 Union-wide performance targets and the Commission will next consult on the proposed targets in the course of March 2024.  The Commission will next adopt an Implementing Decision on the Union-wide performance targets for RP4 by 1 June 2024, subject to the opinion of the Single Sky Committee under the examination procedure. Member States will then have to submit draft performance plans for RP4 by 1 October 2024.

Both the Union-wide performance targets and the RP3 draft performance plans were developed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly impacted the air transport sector and considerably reduced air traffic volumes. In response, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1627 introduced exceptional measures for the third reference period and Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/891 set the corresponding revised Union-wide performance targets for RP3 and repealed Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/903. Accordingly, Member States prepared and submitted to the Commission by 1 October 2021 draft performance plans containing revised performance targets.

SAFETY

The Union-wide performance targets in the key performance area of safety to be achieved by the end of 2024 by air navigation service providers certified to provide services are set at the following levels of effectiveness of safety management:

    at least Level C in the safety management objectives 'safety culture', 'safety policy and          objectives','safety assurance', and 'safety promotion';

    at least Level D in the safety management objective 'safety risk management'.

ENVIRONMENT

Union-wide performance targets for the key performance area of environment are expressed as an average horizontal en route flight efficiency of the actual trajectory and measured as average additional distance flown compared to the great circle distance and cannot exceed the following percentages:

CAPACITY

The Union-wide performance targets for the key performance area of capacity are an average en route ATFM delay attributable to air navigation services of a maximum of

COST-EFFICIENCY

The Union-wide performance targets for the key performance area of cost-efficiency are a year-on-year change of the average Union-wide determined unit cost for en route air navigation services of:

National supervisory authorities (NSAs) draw up performance plans at national level containing local targets consistent with Union-wide targets.

Member States adopt draft performance plans and submit them to the Commission for the Commission's assessment and review. In this respect, the Commission first verifies whether the performance plans are complete. If the plans are complete, the Commission assesses whether the proposed performance targets are consistent with the Union-wide performance targets. If the required consistency cannot be established, the Commission requests Member States to revise their performance plans and targets, or to take corrective measures.

NSAs submit monitoring reports to the Commission by 1 June each year. The PRB then analyses the performance results and issues its recommendations in annual monitoring reports.

Furthermore, performance-related data on key performance indicators (KPIs) and performance indicators (PIs) is made available on a quarterly basis through dashboards: