Press Release: Commission initiative to reduce flight delays in Europe takes off

Summer is approaching and many air travellers will again suffer from delays, which have reached an unacceptable level, prompting the European Commission to make the reform of Air Traffic Management one of its priorities. On 7.6.00, Ms Loyola De Palacio, vice-president in charge of transport and energy, informed the Commission of the first very encouraging results achieved by the high level group she chairs on the creation of a European 'single sky'. This intermediate report confirms the support from all countries on this initiative and describes the growing consensus in the high level group in favour of the need for integrated management of European airspace, the involvement of both military and civil authorities and the strengthening of safety issues. 'We are optimistic about the results which should be achieved over the coming months', said Ms de Palacio. 'Every country agrees on the structural causes of the delays we suffer and we have defined the main priorities to change this situation quickly', she added.

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http://ec.europa.eu/comm/transport/themes/air/english/at_0_en.html http://ec.europa.eu/comm/transport/themes/air/english/at_0_en.html

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