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On 5 August, the European Commission launched a public consultation to evaluate the effectiveness of three key pieces of EU legislation that govern access to and the pricing of services at airports. The aim is to assess whether the current legislative framework, which includes the Slot Regulation, the Groundhandling Directive, and the Airport Charges Directive, remains effective in achieving its objectives amidst changing market conditions and evolving environmental priorities.

The consultation will consider recent trends such as market consolidation, airport capacity challenges, labour shortages, increased competition from non-EU airlines and airports, and the pressing need for decarbonisation. The expected feedback would help the Commission in identifying opportunities for simplification and reduction of administrative burdens, ensuring that the rules remain relevant and impactful. The consultation is open until 28 October 2025 and is accessible on the "Have your Say" portal.

CLECAT already provided feedback to previous consultation exercises on the topic as part of the Commission’s fitness check. In its latest feedback, CLECAT highlights significant concerns regarding the current state of ground handling services at EU airports, noting issues such as low wages, declining service quality and operational inefficiencies that disrupt logistics planning. We advocate for greater competition within the ground handling market to improve service levels. In addition, CLECAT emphasises that the outdated EU Slots Regulation has proven inadequate in managing the specific needs of the air cargo sector, particularly in terms of slot allocation and the inflexibility of the 'use it or lose it' rule for cargo operations.  We recommend revising the Regulation to introduce more flexible utilisation thresholds for full freighter operations, allowing for cargo prioritisation, and reforming new entrant criteria to enhance competition and operational efficiency.

Source: European Commission