1.Without prejudice to Article 5, operators shall ensure that, by 15 March 2008 at the latest, their aircraft are equipped with radio equipment with 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
2.In addition to 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability, the equipment referred to in paragraph 1 shall be able to tune to 25 kHz spaced channels and to operate in an environment which uses offset-carrier frequencies.
3.Air navigation service providers shall ensure that, by 3 July 2008 at the latest, all voice VHF assignments are converted to 8,33 kHz channel spacing for sectors with a lower level at or above FL 195.
4.Paragraph 3 shall not apply in respect of sectors where 25 kHz offset-carrier system is utilised.
5.Member States shall take all the necessary measures to ensure that appropriate VHF assignments are notified to air navigation service providers.
6.Air navigation service providers shall implement the VHF assignments referred to in paragraph 5. If under exceptional circumstances it is not possible to comply with paragraph 3, Member States shall communicate the reasons to the Commission.
7.Air navigation service providers shall ensure that the performance of their 8,33 kHz voice communication systems comply with the ICAO standards specified in Annex I(1).
8.Air navigation service providers shall ensure that their 8,33 kHz voice communication systems allow an operationally acceptable voice communication between controllers and pilots within the designated operational coverage.
9.Air navigation service providers shall ensure that the performance of the transmitter/receiver ground constituent installed within the 8,33 kHz voice communication systems comply with the ICAO standards specified in Annex I(1) with regard to the frequency stability, modulation, sensitivity, effective acceptance bandwidth and adjacent channel rejection.
10.Operators shall ensure that the performance of the 8,33 kHz voice communication systems installed onboard their aircraft in application of paragraph 1 comply with the ICAO standards specified in Annex I(2).
11.The European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (Eurocae) document specified in Annex I(3) shall be considered as sufficient means of compliance with regard to the frequency stability, modulation, sensitivity, effective acceptance bandwidth and adjacent channel rejection requirements identified in the ICAO standards specified in Annex I(2).
12.Air navigation service providers shall implement the notification and initial co-ordination processes in their flight data processing systems in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 1032/2006(1) as follows:
(a)the information about the 8,33 kHz capability of a flight shall be transmitted between ATC units;
(b)the information about the 8,33 kHz capability of a flight shall be made available at the appropriate working position;
(c)the controller shall have the means to modify the information about the 8,33 kHz capability of a flight.