In 2005, the first edition of the European ATM Master Plan was published. It had been the first time that the European stakeholder community united over an integrated European ATM modernisation plan. Beyond providing the technology and innovation roadmap, the Master Plan has been instrumental for the ATM community to unlock billions of euros in European funding. Unprecedented stakeholder collaboration has taken place since the launch of the first Master Plan.
Twenty years later the ambition level is still high: Making Europe the most efficient and environmentally friendly sky to fly in the world.
The release of the 2025 edition represents a renewed commitment by the European Commission and its stakeholders to align Europe’s ATM systems with the Green Deal, digital transformation, and decarbonisation goals.
Digital European Sky’s ten deployment priorities
Based on the vision, the Master Plan describes ten deployment priorities, covering the operations of legacy airspace stakeholders as well as new entrants:
- Alerts for reduction of collision risks on taxiways and runways
- Optimising airport and TMA environmental footprint
- Dynamic airspace configuration
- Increased automation support
- Transformation to trajectory-based-operations (TBO)
- Virtualisation of operations
- Transition towards high performance of air-ground connectivity
- Service-oriented delivery model (data-driven and cloud-based)
- CNS optimisation, modernisation and resilience
- Enable innovative air mobility (IAM) and drone operations
Implementation 2025 starts with new funding calls
The implementation of the Master Plan has relied significantly on public funding in the past. Complementing investments from the operational stakeholders and industry, the EU SESAR programme is financed via EU budgets, from the EU research and development program Horizon Europe and its predecessors. SESAR deployment, including demonstrators, receives funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), managed by CINEA European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. A new funding call was just launched.
Competition on European funding ahead
Securing EU funding for Master Plan implementation will become more difficult in the future, with growing demands for defense, digitalisation/artificial intelligence (AI) and energy transition, given the geopolitical environment. This rivalry reflects broader budget pressures within the European Commission. Directorates must prioritise resources and they will compete with each other across various strategic areas.
The alignment with the European Green Deal objectives helps justify investments in ATM modernisation. However, competition with other Joint Undertakings, such as the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking under DG RTD, takes place. With budget discussions in the EU starting this year, the ATM sector will be challenged to justify needs for public funding, in particular for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the successor of Horizon Europe. Although the current framework runs until 2027, the Commission is expected to make its first proposal for the subsequent period in the summer of 2025.
Managing complexity
The integration of defense and cyber-security, the digitalisation and innovation agenda, integration of space-based solutions, drones, innovative air mobility and multi-modal transport into the Master Plan 2025 presents both challenges and opportunities. Stakeholder management and execution of interdependent projects become even more complex.
The SESAR JU is carefully balancing the modernisation momentum while securing political and financial support from the European Commission and the Parliament. Keeping the operational stakeholders and industry committed independent from any EU funding will be key.
Ensuring stakeholder buy-in
The airspace users are demanding positive business cases for their investments. Tangible operational benefits will facilitate deployment commitments. The ANSPs must continue their ATM systems modernisation and digitalisation agenda, enabling them to cope with the traffic growth and cyber-security challenges in civil and military operations. ANSP investments have to align with the RP4 target setting of the Performance Scheme, operationally and financially. The future Performance Scheme and target setting need to be in sync and support the implementation strategy of the Master Plan.
Andreas Boschen, Executive Director, SESAR JU summarised the challenges: “Today marks the beginning of more focussed and urgent work on ATM modernisation. This roadmap is a game-changer… We are aware of the challenges that lie ahead. To achieve our goal, we need a fit-for-purpose economic and technical regulatory framework, support for early movers, and the involvement of the entire ATM workforce in managing the transformation. The next ten years are crucial because without real progress, particularly on the service delivery model, the system will not cope with the expected traffic demands. So, let’s seize this opportunity to move forward together with clarity and conviction, ensuring Europe becomes the most effective and environmentally friendly sky to fly in the world by 2045.”
In the SESAR JU annual conference on 18 February 2025 the ATM Masterplan, its technology roadmap and the implementation steps are discussed with stakeholders. Stakeholder buy-in is on top of the agenda.
Global Airspace Radar will feature the ATM Masterplan activities in more detail in a series of articles and dive into the innovation and technology roadmap as well as covering institutional and regulatory aspects.
