On 15 December 2022, the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking and founding member, EUROCONTROL, signed an administrative agreement setting out EUROCONTROL’s renewed role in and commitment to the partnership and the Digital European Sky research and innovation programme. The agreement was signed by Andreas Boschen, Executive Director of the SESAR 3 JU and Eamonn Brennan, Director General, EUROCONTROL, on the occasion of the SESAR 3 JU’s Governing Board.

As founding member of the SESAR 3 JU, EUROCONTROL has supported SESAR research and innovation since 2007, playing a leading role in developing and delivering new or improved technologies and procedures to make European air traffic management smarter and more sustainable. With the establishment of the SESAR 3 JU in November 2021, EUROCONTROL will commit up to EUR 500 million in in-kind contributions and additional activities, as well as providing programmatic, administrative and back-office support, including the provision of office space for the partnership’s headquarters in Brussels.

Specifically, the agreement reflects the obligations set out in the European Council Regulation (Article 157 and Article 158) establishing the SESAR 3 JU. It states that EUROCONTROL will carry out development and validation activities in support of the SESAR 3 JU work programme, as well as provide advice on European ATM developments, in particular on the future airspace architecture. The agreement also has provisions for programme management support, in addition to back-office arrangements covering information technology, communications and logistics support. This includes the provision of office space for the headquarters of SESAR 3 JU in Brussels. Both parties also signed an administrative arrangement on data protection with the temporary approval by the European Data Protection Supervisor.

“We are delighted to have the renewed commitment and support of EUROCONTROL for the SESAR 3 JU partnership and our research and innovation work programme. We look forward to working closely with EUROCONTROL in collaboration with other founding members and partners in order to deliver an inclusive, resilient and sustainable Digital European Sky,” said Andreas Boschen, Executive Director, SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking.

“It gives me great pleasure to inaugurate the brand new offices of SESAR 3 JU at our premises as part of the agreements we signed today. These reconfirm our commitment to the SESAR programme, and express our full support to research and innovation activities in Europe. Our cooperation is a hugely important step forwards towards delivering sustainable, innovative and digital solutions. Bringing all the key actors in the aviation value chain together, under one roof, for the benefit of European aviation is a core goal of EUROCONTROL and in that regard we’re proud to host the SESAR 3 JU at our Brussels HQ,” said Eamonn Brennan, Director General of EUROCONTROL

Read about the Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085