Liberalisation of Air Traffic Services in Spain

The aim of the European Commission's Single European Sky initiative is to promote a series of structural changes within Air Transport to help improve its efficiency, continuity and sustainability. One of the key elements of the air transport system is Air Traffic Services (ATSs), which must guarantee safe and fluid operations. The Single European Sky initiative puts in place a series of mechanisms to replace the existing public monopolies with free market models. Taking advantage of this new framework, Spain has initiated a process of liberalisation of ATS Services, which may provide a business opportunity for operators with an interest in the area of air transport, and European providers who wish to expand their markets. This document sets out the new legal framework that has been put in place in Spain to promote this process, indicating the motives of these actions and the main implications the process will have, whilst maintaining the objective of guaranteeing continuity of service, and avoiding any barriers to entry, which changes of this type can give rise to.

► Spain has begun a process of liberalisation of Air Traffic Services.
► It is a business opportunity for current ATS providers that are engaged in a process of expansion.
► It is an opportunity for other business interests who see new opportunities in the ATC sector.
► A series of legislative elements (Laws and Royal Decrees) has been put in place to make this possible.
► The objective is to begin the transformation of the organisational model of Air Traffic Services.