Will Be Overseen By The SESAR Deployment Manager

The Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) has given a green light to a key project to improve the management of the European airspace. The project, which is supported under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) with a grant worth €318.5 million (approx $348 million), and which will be managed by the SESAR Deployment Manager, will modernize and harmonize Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems and procedures across 24 EU Member States.

It is one of 10 EU supported projects which are contributing to the realization of the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program. The projects were selected under the 2014 CEF Transport calls, which made €13 billion (approx $13.77 billion) available to finance projects to improve European transport infrastructure, promote transport safety, develop intelligent transport systems and mitigate the environmental impact of the sector.
 
"It is of utmost importance for the European Union to support transport infrastructure projects bringing the continent closer to having one continuous, safe and interconnected transport network," said INEA Executive Director Dirk Beckers. "In this context air transport will greatly benefit from improved synergies and integration and the EU will help the sector deliver by supporting key projects."
 
The project will be implemented by the SESAR Deployment Manager, a body set up specifically to facilitate the implementation of European ATM research and integration. “This grant agreement represents a very important step in the actual deployment of SESAR solutions," said SESAR DM's Managing Director, Mr Massimo Garbini, on the signing of the grant. "I see these funds as a key factor in realising the full ATM modernization in Europe and leveraging the expected benefits for the European economy.”

(Source: INEA news release)

FMI: https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility/cef-transport/projects-by-country/multi-country/2014-eu-tm-0136-m