European aviation groups have called for the EU to enforce a ¡°balanced approach¡± to airport noise management and to issue clear guidance to avoid ¡°fragmented and politically driven decisions¡± on a national level.

The European Airports Council International (ACI EUROPE), Airlines for Europe (A4E) and European Regions Airline Association (ERA) on Thursday (19 June) issued a declaration that urges the European Commission and EU member states to enforce the use of the International Civil Aviation Organization¡¯s (ICAO) ¡®Balanced Approach¡¯ framework, first adopted in 2001, as a mandatory process ¨C and to monitor compliance to the?EU 598/2014 Regulation regarding noise-related operating restrictions at EU airports.

Launched at the 35th ACI Europe Annual Congress and General Assembly in Athens, the declaration urges ¡°immediate and decisive action¡± after ¡°a number of national governments¡± have moved to impose airport operating restrictions without adhering to the legal procedures and standards set out in these frameworks, the aviation groups said in a joint statement.

¡°These ad hoc decisions threaten the air connectivity that European citizens depend on, undermine the integrity of the Single EU Aviation Market ¨C and ultimately jeopardise Europe¡¯s global aviation competitiveness.¡±

Airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Paris, London, Stockholm, Zurich and Amsterdam all have night flight restrictions in place to reduce noise. The Dutch government is also planning to?cut capacity at Amsterdam¡¯s Schiphol Airport?from 500,000 flights per year to 478,000 from 2025 to reduce noise pollution from aircraft. The move has drawn scrutiny from airline groups and follows a previous failed attempt to cut capacity at the Netherlands hub.

¡°Sustainability, noise management and connectivity must be addressed together ¨C not in isolation,¡± the aviation groups said.