Cyprus signs agreement with Eurocontrol
(archive article - Friday, October 14, 2005)
CYPRUS' SAFETY performance in air traffic control is satisfactory and in some cases well above the European average, Director General of Eurocontrol Victor Aguado said yesterday.
He was speaking after signing an agreement with Communications and Works Minister Haris Thrasou, under which Eurocontrol will provide support to the island's Civil Aviation Department.
According to CNA, Aguado said the agreement is a “further manifestation of the excellent collaboration between Cyprus and Eurocontrol”, while Thrasou said it was a “confirmation of the excellent relation between Eurocontrol which dates back to 1991 when Cyprus became a member of the organisation”.
Thrasou said he was certain that with Eurocontrol's support, the Civil Aviation Department “will be in a position to fulfil its multiple international obligations, making Cyprus capable of playing a decisive role in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region” and making use of its geographic position and relations with neighbouring countries.
"Our main concern,” said Thrasou, "is to reorganise our air traffic management system through the full implementation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO's) provisions, EU regulations for the creation of a Single European Sky as well as satisfying the demands of the Eurocontrol Safety Regulatory Requirements (ESARRs)."
Thrasou underlined that the continued rise in air traffic imposes on countries the need to take drastic measures to handle increased demands for capacity, decreasing delays and costs and maintaining and upgrading the levels of safety.
On his part, Aguado said the agreement provides Eurocontrol support to Cyprus in several domains, firstly Cyprus will be assisted to implement fully the Eurocontrol air traffic control safety standards (ESARRs), Cyprus will be advised on the implementation of the ICAO Safety regulations relating to air traffic control and prepare the Civil Aviation Authority for the ICAO audit which will take place in the spring 2006.
Secondly, Eurocontrol will assist Cyprus in implementing the European Commission’s “Single European Sky” regulations and thirdly Eurocontrol will assist in the development and practical implementation of air traffic management related regional activities between Cyprus and its neighbouring countries.
Aguado said the two also reviewed the air traffic management situation in Europe and Cyprus and “we noted with satisfaction the positive performance as regards the number of flights, the level of delays and cost-effectiveness of the systems”.
As regards Cyprus’ performance regarding safety of air traffic management, he said “this is satisfactory and in most cases well above the European average”.
He underlined “two positive figures deserve to be highlighted, the first the cost charged to the airlines using the FIR Nicosia is one of the four lowest in Europe and secondly, the productivity of the Cypriot air traffic controllers is one of the best in Europe and well above the European average.
Aguado said that “despite these achievements, a lot needs yet to be done by Cyprus. Improving the capacity and safety of air traffic control is a continuous process requiring constant efforts. These efforts need to be greater for Cyprus given its geographical location and the fact that according to our estimates, the number of flights in the Nicosia FIR will increase by 30 per cent in the next ten years”.
Answering questions, Aguado referred to EMAC, noting it is an essential and crucial arrangement. “We believe that it is crucial to have a master plan for air navigation in the region, not only because of Cyprus but because of the relation between two neighbouring regions. So it is essential that we have at least a common approach to air navigation and it will be for the good of everyone”.
Asked how Eurocontrol could move this forward, Aguado said “we will support those member states that will request our help”, adding that “in this case, there is an element in our agreement in which we will support Cyprus in any regional cooperation activity”.
To a question how Eurocontrol can help the lack of cooperation between Cyprus and Turkey, Aguado said this was a timely opportunity. “There is a hope for evolution from a political point of view in these relations and we can address specifically the operational and technical dimension of the air transport between these two countries and to identify solutions for the good of both”.
Aguado said this was done in the recent past, during the Athens Olympics when there were several agreements with neighbouring countries, including the Middle East, Turkey, and Cyprus with Greece because all of them realised of the solutions that could in fact on the different states for the benefit all of them.
At this point Thrasou clarified that it was a “silent agreement” whereby Turkey did not object to using its air corridors during the Olympics.
Regarding the issue of air traffic safety, Aguado said the agreement relates specifically to safety, vis-a-vis safety rules. “All this will make the air traffic management system of Cyprus safer”, he added.
“There is no question at all that we need safety professionals being engaged in the safety regulations and more professionals in safety management, and that means those who are providing the service should have a system in place by which they detect the safety issues and are ready to address them right away.
Aguado said this was not just a question of Cyprus but also of European approach to safety.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2006
