A sold-out event at Brussels Airport on 18 February 2025 saw the launch of a new European Air Traffic Management (ATM) Master Plan from the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) at their annual conference. The updated 2025 plan sets out a vision, strategic deployment objectives and development priorities for European aviation up to 2045.
“The European ATM Master Plan 2025 ushers in a new era,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, opening the conference.
“The ATM sector already leads the way in using modern technologies and innovative solutions,” he added. “To protect this frontrunner status, it is very important to set out an agenda for continuous development.”
Andreas Boschen, Executive Director, SESAR JU urged participants to leave the conference with a shared commitment "to make Europe the most efficient and environmentally friendly sky to fly in the world by 2045… This is not just an ambition; it is a necessity. It's important for our security, for our competitiveness, and for our sustainability."
“Success will depend on how we organise ourselves, how we secure the necessary support and buy-in at European and national levels, and how we transform SESAR innovation into tangible benefits.”
A record high of over 500 participants attended this third edition of the annual event, organised by SESAR JU in cooperation with the Polish EU Presidency.
Dariusz Klimczak, Minister of Infrastructure of the Republic of Poland, said he was “really impressed by research and innovation undertaken by the SESAR JU community. We should be proud of the European technologies used on every continent.”
The SESAR project has delivered almost 140 solutions. The new European ATM Master Plan now fixes the focus firmly on deployment and preparing for new challenges on the horizon. ”We are very good at developing solutions, at innovating, but not so good at putting them into service,” explained Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Member of European Parliament. “I think the SESAR JU has done its homework. […] The ATM Master Plan lays the ground for the future in air traffic management”.
This is why the ATM Master Plan provides important strategic direction for investments and regulatory decisions, by outlining 10 strategic deployment objectives for the next decade, supporting the twin transitions of digitalisation and sustainability.
ATM contributes to our security and sovereignty
At a time of great uncertainty and geopolitical challenges, ATM in Europe is at the beginning of a new era of AI and cyber-security. Data-driven ATM raises new risks and opportunities and participants agreed Europe should never be complacent about safety in aviation.
The Master Plan proposes ATM products and processes that are safe and secure, through for instance enhanced air-ground collaboration and human-machine teaming. The automation of ATM with increasing exchange of data will make cybersecurity key to success.
In this respect, the Master Plan addresses challenges such as openness and interoperability for cybersecure ATM, as well as questions about how different applications will use data.
Europe’s airspace is a shared resource, essential for both civil and military operations. Ensuring a single, well-managed airspace means accommodating military needs while maintaining efficiency and security. Protecting our airspace and air domain requires strong civil-military cooperation, ensuring that Europe’s skies remain both open and secure.
"Potentially more than for the other domains, civil and military must closely collaborate in aviation, cooperate and coordinate together and reach all potential synergies," said Sean White, Director of Industry, Synergies & Enablers, European Defence Agency (EDA).
SESAR and the ATM Master Plan are good examples of civil military collaboration and the development of dual use technologies, he added. These technologies are dual-use by design, involving military and civilian stakeholders from the outset.
Implementing EU priorities
Implementing the Master Plan could save up to 400 million tonnes of CO2 by 2050 - the equivalent of three years of aviation's total emissions. Participants estimated that operational efficiency could bring up to 6% CO2 emission cuts per flight by 2050.
“The Master Plan is the is basis for solutions that really bring forward the CO2 emission reductions we are all hoping for,” added Mr Oetjen.
The Draghi report on EU competitiveness has brought transport competitiveness back to the forefront of the European agenda. With global passenger demand set to grow over the next 20 years, it is crucial to ensure that Europe’s ATM industry remains a global leader, keeping high-value jobs and critical skills in Europe while supporting economic growth. Aviation’s strong link to GDP and employment underscores the need for continued investment and innovation in European ATM.
A proposal for the next EU budget for the years 2028-34 is expected this summer. Aviation is one of key pillars of competitiveness where Europe should invest more money, the conference heard. Participants suggested for instance creating incentives and support for early movers in the aviation and ATM sectors.
A new service delivery model for ATM in Europe, proposed by the Master Plan, will replace legacy systems with a more rapid, unified, collaborative model, leveraging best practice from other businesses and sectors and integrating innovative IT tools.
Future-proof
The SESAR JU used the conference to promote projects today that will provide solutions tomorrow. Innovation in ATM can be a low-hanging fruit for making Europe the most efficient and environmentally friendly sky to fly in the world.
For the first time, the new edition of the Master Plan defines the last phase of the Digital European Sky (Phase D), by detailing 12 development priorities to address challenges. These include the further integration of innovative air mobility and the next generation of aircraft for zero/low-emission aviation.
Thanks to forward-thinking priorities such as these, said Filip Cornelis, Aviation Director , Directorate-General for Mobility & Transport (DG MOVE), European Commission, the Master Plan is “a fantastic achievement… encouraging the acceleration of technological change.”
“The SESAR community has helped to create this common feeling,” he explained. “A wish to move forward together.”
As Commissioner Tzitzikostas reminded participants, quoting Mahatma Gandhi at the conference , “The future depends on what you do today.”
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Read about the European ATM Master Plan
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