The European Strategic Safety Action Plan (SSAP) was created by the High-Level European Action Group for ATM Safety after a 2002 survey on ATM safety in the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) area. The goal was to complete identified actions by 2006. However, a follow-up survey by AGAS revealed inconsistencies in ATM safety frameworks across ECAC countries. Some nations have well-defined safety protocols, while others are just beginning to assess their needs.
Most states have started developing ATM safety frameworks in the last five years. They’ve made progress but acknowledge the need for further improvement to achieve optimal efficiency. The AGAS study also noted a general lack of leadership in some states, leading to a shortage of qualified safety experts and limited training opportunities.
To address these issues, AGAS formed working groups to explore specific areas and suggest necessary actions. They focused on runway safety and human resource issues, which were already being addressed by the EUROCONTROL Agency. The Agency also conducted a study to evaluate the maturity of safety frameworks across the ECAC area.
From their findings, AGAS prioritized practical actions that could significantly impact ATM safety. These included enhancing safety-related human resources, improving incident reporting and data sharing, and advancing systems like the Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) and ground-based safety nets. They also emphasized runway safety, enforcement of ESARRs, raising awareness about safety, and promoting safety and human factors research & development (R&D).
In 2006, the European Safety Programme (ESP) was launched to continue the efforts initiated through the SSAP.
