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International co-operation

EU objectives define operations

Air navigation services are strongly regulated, and the terms of Fintraffic ANS license come directly from the EU. This gives the company a chance to offer air navigation services anywhere in Europe. The sector is increasingly opening up to international competition, and Fintraffic ANS is also preparing for this development.

Air navigation operations are getting prepared for the changes in the operating environment caused by, for example, unmanned aerial vehicles, shortrange traffic and cyber-security requirements. The 
EU leads the European ATM Master Plan.

Single European Sky (SES) is an EU project. SES seeks to harmonise practices in different countries. The SES is based on binding EU regulations and complementary rules on harmonised measures. For example, airlines and aviators benefit from the free routing airspace already in use in Finland, which allows them to choose their preferred route. 

EU sets prices for air navigation services and performance targets for service providers in four main areas: 

  • the safety management systems must meet the set criteria 
  • the delays allowed for air traffic must stay within the set limits 
  • flight routes must be as short and unrestricted as possible 
  • costs must be below the set maximum level

Single European Sky network performance plan includes strict targets for service providers, and states are expected to improve their air navigation performance in all areas. For Finland, the targets concerning Fintraffic ANS were drafted in addition to Fintraffic by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

Functional airspace block NEFAB

Finland is part of the North European Functional Airspace Block (NEFAB) together with Latvia, Norway and Estonia. NEFAB is one of the nine European Functional Airspace Blocks established in connection with the SES project. Within the Airspace Blocks, states and service providers, including Fintraffic ANS, cooperate in developing operations. 

Eurocontrol acts as the Network Manager in Europe, appointed by the EU.

Other operations

Fintraffic ANS is part of the Borealis Alliance, a consortium of nine air navigation service providers. Together the members of the Alliance make use of, for example, the free routing airspace on the same principles as in Finland. Fintraffic ANS is also an active member of the association of air navigation service providers, Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation CANSO. CANSO seeks to improve the operating conditions of air navigation service providers and to influence the regulations governing them.