The document that states the implementation of Single European Sky selects five priorities, namely: a new specific ruling frame, better safety standards, the highest quality technology, restructuring the airport infrastructure and a better assistance for the personnel. Called the Madrid Declaration, the document was greeted by Siim Kallas, the new Commissioner for Transport: ”Time for reflection is over. Europe is paying dearly the costs of fragmentation. We now need to act and deliver a seamless, safer, better performing and sustainable single sky for Europe by 2012.“
The Single European Sky is of utmost importance for the future of European aviation, since it should cut the cost of flying in half, decrease the environmental impact of flights by 10%, and improve capacity and the already very high safety record of European airspace. The Single European Sky started in 2004 targeting the alteration of the current status-quo of the continental air space, by taking into account the national borders. This harmonization would make the air traffic management easier to be carried out, more efficient, with lower costs for the operators and for the passengers, but will also bring about a lower pollution level.
