EU reports on EX-YU air transport progress

NEWS FLASH

The European Commission has published its annual progress reports for those aspiring to join the European Union, giving an assessment of what each candidate and potential candidate has achieved over the last year, as well as a set of guidelines on reform priorities, including air transport. Excerpts from the reports that concern aviation are outlined below:

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Preparation on civil aviation is still at a standstill. Although the Air Navigation Services Agency has been operational since December 2019, the 2009 Law on civil aviation still needs be aligned with the requirements of the European Common Aviation Area Agreement (ECAA). Bosnia and Herzegovina urgently needs to address the chronic lack of adequately trained and qualified staff and the institutional set-up within the Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate of Civil Aviation (BHDCA), which increases the risks of safety oversight. Although the new management has been in place for more than 2 years, it has not yet addressed this issue. There is no progress in harmonising legislation with the EU Regulation on passenger rights. Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to enhance the independence of the civil aviation regulator to reverse the negative trend.

Montenegro

In regards to aviation, in April 2023, the Parliament ratified amendments to the European Common Aviation Area Agreement and its Annex I, on the rules applicable to civil aviation. However, the law was not signed by the president. Certification of Podgorica Airport was successfully finalised in May 2023, the procedure is still ongoing for Tivat Airport. The adoption of several implementing laws during 2023 provided further alignment on common rules in the field of civil aviation, air safety and air traffic operations. In November 2022, the national airline company, Air Montenegro, received an Operational Safety Audit certificate from the International Air Transport Association. The company currently operates four aircrafts and slowly develops its connection network.

North Macedonia

In the area of aviation, the country has maintained a good level of alignment with the EU acquis and has partially aligned with the aviation safety legislation. Further efforts are still needed to facilitate European Aviation Safety Agency standardisation inspections.

Serbia

Serbia has a good level of alignment with the EU acquis on aviation. During the reporting period, Serbia adopted several regulations on aerodrome certificates, rules of the air and provision of air traffic control, alerting and flight information services, conditions for performing air operations, and common basic standards on civil aviation security. Regarding aviation regulations, Serbia is close to fulfilling all obligations stipulated in the first transitional period of the European Common Aviation Area Agreement. However, Serbia still needs to further align its secondary legislation on state aid with the acquis and provide a solid track record in the implementation of laws on protection of competition and state aid control. In the domain of aviation safety, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency continues monitoring the implementation of EU safety standards. On the Single European Sky, Serbia completed its alignment process. No progress was made regarding lifting the suspension of articles on the licensing of air carriers and the normalisation of the lower airspace regime over Kosovo, which remain important priorities. Serbia needs to apply Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the community, as incorporated into the European Common Aviation Area Agreement

Kosovo

On air transport, Kosovo is part of the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA)) and is also covered by the single European sky arrangements. The sector continues to face a number of challenges arising from Kosovo's non-membership in several international civil aviation organisations. KFOR/NATO still manages and coordinates upper Kosovo airspace. The institutional shortcomings of the Air Navigation Service Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority, as well as the lack of revenue from upper airspace management, remain an issue. The ongoing staff-management issues in the Civil Aviation Authority remain unsolved and may have a negative impact on the functioning of the Authority. Its upcoming reorganisation and administrative reforms should reflect public administration reform principles, as well as the aviation sector's specific circumstances and requirements. More efforts are needed to continue the alignment with the remaining ECAA first-phase items. Kosovo made some progress with the second phase of ECAA requirements, on aviation safety matters.