Council Decision (EU) 2016/1124 of 24 June 2016 on the position to be taken by the Member States on behalf of the European Union within the Permanent Commission of Eurocontrol as regards the decisions to be adopted on centralised services

The position to be taken by the Member States on behalf of the Union within the Permanent Commission of Eurocontrol shall be the following: as regards the proposal of 6 April 2016 sent out by the Eurocontrol Agency, the Union's position is to support the Eurocontrol Agency's continued collaboration with Air Navigation Service Providers and, where appropriate, with aircraft operators of the Member States of Eurocontrol in the context of the SESAR project, including the development of the necessary Governance, Financing and Procurement arrangements, and to develop technical specifications with a view to timely deploying the European Air/Ground Data Communication Services (EAGDCS). The above arrangements and technical solutions will be submitted to the Provisional Council/Permanent Commission for information and before proceeding to any possible procurement. This should also be based on evidence of the technical and operational feasibility and the development of a comprehensive economic impact assessment. The decision to be adopted within the Permanent Commission shall ensure that: the outcome of the technical work on data link performed by the SESAR Joint Undertaking is fully taken into account, the activities covered by that decision are conducted in cooperation with EASA in so far as that decision concerns EASA's preparatory work for future certification and oversight of EAGDCS, it remains without prejudice to the deployment and operation of EAGDCS, as well as the procurement thereof, which shall be subject to further decisions by the Member States of the Eurocontrol, the activities covered by that decision are based on agreement with Air Navigation Service Providers, and financing and procurement arrangements, as well as technical specifications remain without prejudice to any investment and associated costs already incurred by the Union Member State Air Navigation Service Providers and aircraft operators in compliance with the requirements of Commission Regulation (EC) No 29/2009 . The Member States shall act jointly in the interest of the Union.

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.