No C 34/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 10. 2. 89 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision on consultation and coordination between Member States in 
the field of air traffic services and air traffic flow management 
COM(88) 577 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 11 December 1988) 
(89/C 34/13) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 84 (2) 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the completion of the internal market by the 
end of 1992 requires the existence of an efficient air 
transport system to ensure the unhindered movement of 
people and goods within the Community; 
Whereas the smooth running of the air traffic system will 
improve the implementation of the common transport 
policy in the field of civil aviation; 
Whereas air transport in Europe is presently under 
considerable strain due to air traffic congestion; 
Whereas the saturation of the airspace available to civil 
aviation in Europe is one of the primary causes of this 
air traffic congestion; 
Whereas this situation stems largely from the provision 
of often uncoordinated air traffic services at national 
level, hence the need for consultation and coordination 
between Member States; 
Whereas the lack of coordination in the Community is 
particularly evident in air traffic control (ATC) and in 
air traffic flow management; Whereas this situation can be remedied by the estab­
lishment of a centralized air traffic flow management 
system; 
Whereas, according to the amended 'International 
Convention relating to cooperation for the safety of air 
navigation', Eurocontrol has been assigned the task inter 
alia 'to assist the Contracting Parties and interested 
non-Member States in the institution and operation of an 
international air traffic flow management system'; 
Whereas the existing Eurocontrol central data bank 
could be expanded to serve as the core of such a system; 
Whereas the existing relationship between the 
Community and Eurocontrol, based on a Cooperation 
Agreement signed in 1981, should be further enhanced in 
order to ensure that Eurocontrol having been assigned 
the responsibility of an important function in the real­
ization of the common air transport policy is fully 
supported by the Community, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
1. Member States shall establish a common air traffic 
flow management system, to be administered by a 
centralized unit, which shall be served by the Euro-
control central data bank. 
2. The Member States Contracting Parties to the 
International Convention relating to cooperation for the 
safety of air navigation shall take the necessary steps to 
ensure that Eurocontrol is in a position to assume 
responsibility for the organization and operation of the 
centralized air traffic flow management system. 
10. 2. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 34/9 
Article 2 
1. Member States shall consult with each other and 
the Commission on the activities they undertake in the 
field of air traffic services, in particular with regard to: 
— the establishment and functioning of the system 
envisaged by Article 1, 
— the planning and acquisition of air navigation 
facilities, 
— the development of common ATC procedures and 
training programmes for ATC controllers. 
To this end the Member States shall inform the 
Commission, at the earliest possible stage and in any case 
before undertaking any concrete action or commitment, 
of their intentions. The Commission shall immediately 
inform the other Member States. 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 84(2) 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas Council Decision 78/174/EEC of 20 February 
1978 instituting a consultation procedure and setting up 
a committee in the field of transport infrastructure (J) 
creates an organizational framework to guarantee the 2. An Advisory Committee, consisting of represen­
tatives of the Member States and chaired by a represen­
tative of the Commission, shall be set up under the 
auspices of the Commission. 
3. The Committee may examine any problem relating 
to air traffic services which is referred to it by its 
chairman either on his own initiative or at the request of 
a representative of a Member State. 
Article 3 
Member States Contracting Parties to the International 
Convention relating to cooperation for the safety of air 
navigation shall take the necessary steps to ensure that a 
clause is inserted in the Convention permitting the 
Community to adhere to the said Convention. 
Article 4 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
effectiveness, consistency and continuity of transport 
infrastructure measures; whereas that Decision applies 
only to transport by rail, road and inland waterway; 
Whereas it is appropriate to extend the application of the 
Decision to sea and air infrastructure measures, taking 
into account the geographical structure of the enlarged 
Community and the significance of both transport modes 
for the functioning of the internal market, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
Decision 78/174/EEC shall apply to plans and 
programmes for the development of transport infra­
structures and to projects of Community interest in the 
field of sea and air transport. 
Article 2 Proposal for a Council Decision extending Decision 78/174/EEC to the field of sea and air 
transport infrastructure 
COM(88) 577final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 11 December 1988) 
(89/C 34/14) 
(') OJ No L 54, 25. 2. 1978, p. 16. This Decision is addressed to the Member States.