Montreal, Canada – Friday 11 September 2026
The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the consultation on the future performance and charging scheme for Reference Period 5 (RP5). Our members experience the direct operational consequences of the regulatory framework that the Performance and Charging Scheme creates.
IFATCA’s central finding, consistent across its RP4 analysis (December 2023) and the joint press release with other professional staff organizations (May 2025), is unambiguous:
The European ATM capacity crisis is partially a technology and efficiency problem. Mainly it is, however, the direct result of a performance framework that systematically penalised workforce and capacity investment while the ATCO labour market remained fully liberalised. This structural asymmetry must be named and corrected in RP5.
RP5 represents the most significant regulatory moment for European ATM since the performance scheme was introduced in 2012. The decisions taken in the RP5 implementing regulation will govern ANSP financing from approximately 2030 onward and will shape whether European aviation can meet its capacity, sustainability, and resilience ambitions for the decade ahead.
IFATCA’s position, set out in full in this paper, is structured around five reform needs and four performance area assessments with concrete asks for RP5.
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©2026 The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA). IFATCA is the recognized global body representing air traffic controller associations. Founded more than 60 years ago, IFATCA now represents professionals in over 130 countries, advocating for safety, efficiency, and the welfare of air traffic controllers worldwide.
