Strategic airspace management (level 1)

1. Member States shall perform the following tasks:

ensure the overall application of the flexible use of airspace concept at a strategic, pre-tactical and tactical level;

regularly review users’ requirements;

approve the activities which require airspace reservation or restriction;

define temporary airspace structures and procedures to offer multiple airspace reservation and route options;

establish criteria and procedures providing for the creation and the use of adjustable lateral and vertical limits of the airspace required for accommodating diverse variations of flight paths and short-term changes of flights;

assess the national airspace structures and route network with the aim of planning for flexible airspace structures and procedures;

define the specific conditions under which the responsibility for separation between civil and military flights rests on the air traffic services units or controlling military units;

develop cross-border airspace use with neighbouring Member States where needed by the traffic flows and users’ activities;

coordinate their airspace management policy with those of neighbouring Member States to jointly address use of airspace across national borders and/or the boundaries of flight information regions;

establish and make available airspace structures to users in close cooperation and coordination with neighbouring Member States where the airspace structures concerned have a significant impact on the traffic across national borders and/or the boundaries of flight information regions, with a view to ensuring optimum use of airspace for all users throughout the Community;

establish with neighbouring Member States one common set of standards for separation between civil and military flights for cross-border activities;

set up consultation mechanisms between the persons or organisations as referred to in paragraph 3 and all relevant partners and organisations to ensure that users’ requirements are properly addressed;

assess and review airspace procedures and performance of flexible use of airspace operations;

establish mechanisms to archive data on the requests, allocation and actual use of airspace structures for further analysis and planning activities.

The conditions referred to in point (g) shall be documented and taken into account in the safety assessment referred to in Article 7.

2. In those Member States where both civil and military authorities are responsible for or involved in airspace management, the tasks set out in paragraph 1 shall be performed through a joint civil-military process.

3. Member States shall identify and notify to the Commission those persons or organisations which are responsible for the execution of tasks listed in paragraph 1. The Commission shall maintain and publish a list of all persons or organisations identified in order to further the cooperation between Member States.

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2150/2005 of 23 December 2005 laying down common rules for the flexible use of airspace ANNEX