Frequently Asked Questions

The Project MOSAIC was initiated by TUEM (Trade Union Eurocontrol Maastricht) and SNCTA (French Union) during a meeting in summer 2005.

The two organisations contacted other Unions and Professional Associations and they got positive returns immediately from every one. All knew something had to be done to improve the ATC system but also to defend our profession and social conditions from the dangers of privatisation but alone, no one knew were to start.

When the basics of MOSAIC were laid down, it sparked energy, a new hope.

“YES”, there was a credible alternative to competition. “Yes”, we could achieve something sustainable, and “Yes”, the staff organisations of 7 nations wanted to be part of it and join forces.

There are two possible reactions to the extension of the policy of competition advocated by the European Commission and adopted by certain service providers: either to back down or to build a viable alternative.

Since the adoption of the Single Sky in 2004, the competition-based model in Europe has continued to gain ground.

It is always the staff that pays the price for the following attitudes: "the most important thing is not to change anything and everything will turn out fine …"

In the end, the outcome is always the same: staff (and the users) will suffer the consequences.

"Sorry, we couldn't do anything about it" is all that remains to be said. By which point it is too late.

The cost of fragmentation

Fragmentation involves the proliferation of systems much more that the proliferation of control centres. Today EUROCONTROL estimates the cost of fragmentation at EUR 1.5 billion . Standardisation of the systems would cover up to 40% of the cost of air traffic control. A reduction in costs borne by systems rather than by staff.

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE STATES:

The management of MOSAIC will be under the supervision of the Member States. This key fact is to ensure that private service providers, whoever they are, do not infiltrate the institutional structure and open the way for competition.

AN ORGANISATION FINANCED EXCLUSIVELY FROM PUBLIC FUNDS:

Exclusive financing by public funds is an essential requirement for ensuring that safety remains the primary objective, taking precedence over all other considerations ( capacity, cost, etc.). It is a way of perpetuating the principle of recovery of costs, which allows the service to be financed from an independent budget, with any over-recoveries being repaid to the users, rendering any profits impossible.

FROM THE GROUND UP:

Working from the ground up enables the same service to be provided from Palermo to Hamburg, via Geneva or Brest. This safety chain is still the best asset in providing all users with a quality service. It is also a bastion against the European Commission's economic vision which saw in the FABs a separation between "the profitable" (above FL 285) and "the costly" (lower levels).

With the problem of fragmentation in mind, it is natural to join forces and take action to improve our future.

Further, on the political side, since the European Commission's first communication on the Single Sky in 1999, it has been clear that joining forces to mount an opposition has always been a complex matter. The disparate cultures, with different rights and regulations from one country to the next have always divided the various organisations. MUAC is so far an isolated example of international cooperation.

Time has come to join our forces, our experience and differences to others if we don't want to end up alone and even more vulnerable.

We propose to build the first Regional European Public Service from ground to unlimited:

The building of Europe has come to a grinding halt. Politicians and European stakeholders are all looking for a solution to demonstrate that Europe can be more than just an economic tool.

In this context, controllers and all air navigation staff have the power to build the first European public service from ground to unlimited.

Collectively, we have the power to actually make real this idea, which politicians are talking at length about and which citizens are demanding. This is another reason why we have to act.

To keep control over our future!

Competition has always resulted in privatisations and vice-versa. Air traffic control is no exception to this rule.

The privatisation of NATS (the UK service provider) and the move to privatise the German service provider serve as good examples. You do not have to be an economist to realise that privatisation leads to cost cutting with the aim of making savings for the shareholders. The quality and fundamentals of our service are at risk.

As professionals, we must act to defend an activity whose prime objective is to ensure the safety of all air traffic. Therefore, we have a duty to reject the competition model.

Today, MOSAIC is the only credible and realistic alternative to the competition which is emerging in air traffic control over continental Europe.

We must build up this model, based on cooperative alliances, as a matter of the utmost urgency.

When the staff representatives of seven countries and MUAC suddenly join together in a common vision, then, we constitute a credible group.

The creation, through reinforced cooperation between the States concerned, of a European public service model, which may subsequently be extended to other States, is very appealing in today's context.

The Trade unions and Professional Associations of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Maastricht UAC are today working together to achieve the same objective.

All trade unions reject the European Commission's competition-based precepts. They would like European air navigation to be built around a safe, continuous and efficient service for the users and the populations over flown.

By signing up for MOSAIC , they are together opting for a Europe where the notion of citizenship is central.

To believe that we can create a Regional European Control System in one fell swoop is as unrealistic as thinking we could build a European air traffic control service in 25 countries in one go.

Progressive steps are therefore essential. They will make it possible to build up the structure in which officials will work, and ensure that the project also meets the expectations of staff. There can therefore be no question of throwing away what we already have before we know for sure where we are going.

The first stage is the introduction of technical and operational cooperation. An improved version of what we have already at MUAC level.

The second stage is the pooling of money from route charges. Until now, operational projects have always been limited by financial considerations, since a flow of traffic means the generation of route charges and therefore money for the service provider. Once the question of money and individual interests has been eliminated, common airspace management can be really set up…towards integration.

The third stage will involve imposing MOSAIC internal structures as the sole service provider for the 7 countries.

The staff from the original service providers will be attached to the new structure as European officials. With a single status and uniform high-quality training, the risk of social dumping in our profession will be eliminated.

This project concerns all service provider staff and not just air traffic controllers. This is another reason why various national trade unions support us on this project.