Privatization of German and Other European Air Navigation Service Providers and the Single European Sky Regulations

Abstract

For a number of years there has been a tendency towards the privatization of Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), particularly in Europe. In this article a definition of the term ‘privatization’ will be outlined. Furthermore, the authors provide a review of the history of the English, French and German ANSPs in order to illustrate the differences in the development of European ANSPs. Thereafter, arguments for and against privatization will be summarized. During the last decade the European Union has strengthened its efforts in air law, as demonstrated by the issuance of the Single European Sky Regulations. Therefore, it is necessary to review the status of existing European ANSPs and their compliance with EU laws. Subsequently, the authors demonstrate that there is a trend towards commercialization, even though no mandatory rules are prescribed for the privatization of the core functions of ANSPs.