The Civil Aviation (Route Charges for Navigation Services) Regulations 1994

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke and replace the Civil Aviation (Route Charges for Navigation Services) Regulations 1993, as amended.

New unit rates and transatlantic charges are introduced, reflecting forecasts of costs and traffic for 1995, and taking into account the balance of over and under recoveries of revenue as compared with costs experienced by the countries participating in the Eurocontrol charging system in 1993. Denmark, Norway and Slovenia become participating States in the Eurocontrol charging system from 1st January 1995 (regulations 6 and 7 and Schedule 2).

If the amount of the charge is not paid by the operator of the aircraft within 24 days of the date payment is demanded by Eurocontrol interest at the rate of 9.25% shall be paid from that day until the date when payment is made (regulations 5(3) and (4)).

The unit rates in ECUs set out in Schedule 2 and the amount of the charges in ECUs set out in Schedule 3 (for transatlantic flights) are calculated by reference to the costs of provision of en-route navigation services in the participating countries in the Eurocontrol charges system, the amount of traffic using each country’s airspace and the relationship of each country’s currency to the ECU over a period agreed by Ministers of the participating countries. The interaction of these elements varies in each country. In calculating the revised charges the average of the exchange rates between the ECU and the currencies of the participating countries obtaining in the month of July 1993 have been used.

The unit rates for Cyprus, Greece, Malta, and Spain have decreased on average by 14.5% and Spain (Canaries) by 9.6%. The unit rates for Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey have increased on average by 4.6% and for Portugal (Santa Maria) by 28.1%. The unit rate for the United Kingdom has decreased by 6.5%.

Flights made by helicopters between any point in the United Kingdom to a vessel within the areas of the northern and southern North Sea specified in regulations 9(xi) and (xii) are now exempt.

The exemption for flights made exclusively for the purpose of enabling an aircraft to qualify for the issue or renewal of a certificate of airworthiness is withdrawn (regulation 9).

Belgrade, Lamezia Terme, Venice, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Basle have been deleted from certain zones in Schedule 3. Copenhagen, Bucharest, Johannesburg, Timisoara, Glasgow, Munich, Rome, Santiago, Brussels and Vienna have been added to certain zones in Schedule 3.

The United Kingdom Air Pilot and the foreign Aeronautical Information Publications referred to in the Regulations can be purchased from the Civil Aviation Authority, Greville House, 37 Gratton Road, Cheltenham, Glos GL50 2BN and can be inspected at major aerodromes in the United Kingdom. The International Financial Statistics published by the International Monetary Fund and the Commission of the European Communities Official Journal (Information and Notices) can be inspected at the Civil Aviation Authority Central Library, Aviation House, South Area, Gatwick Airport, West Sussex RH6 0YR.