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UK Civil Aviation Regulations

These are published by the CAA on our UK Regulations pages. EU Regulations and EASA Access Guides published by EASA no longer apply in the UK. Our website and publications are being reviewed to update all references. Any references to EU law and EASA Access guides should be disregarded and where applicable the equivalent UK versions referred to instead.



All Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) applying for Certification and not eligible for a limited certificate must submit to the CAA their five-year Business Plan, Annual Plan, and audited accounts.

ANSPs may apply for a limited certificate. ANSPs eligible for a limited certificate are those which provide services or plan to provide them only with respect to one or more of the following:

  • Aerial work;
  • General Aviation;
  • Commercial Air Transport limited to aircraft with less than 10 tonnes of maximum take-off mass or less than 20 passenger seats;
    and
  • Commercial Air Transport with less than 10,000 movements per year, regardless of the maximum take-off mass and the number of passenger seats, movements being the sum of take-offs and landings averaged over the previous three years.

ANSPs applying for a limited certificate, other than a provider of air traffic services, must have a gross annual turnover of £875,000 or less in relation to the services it provides or plans to provide.

In addition, ANSPs must submit a written declaration that they will produce, and send to the CAA, an Annual Report at the end of their reporting period and that this report will be made available to users as part of the consultation process

(Reference: UK Regulation (EU) 2017/373, the “Air Traffic Management (ATM) / Air Navigation Services (ANS) Implementing Regulation” of 1 March 2017 laying down common requirements for the provision of air navigation services.)

Business plan

(Annex 1 para 2.2)

The Business Plan should cover a minimum period of five years and set out:

  • the overall aims and goals of the ANSP and its strategy towards achieving them in consistency with any overall longer term plan of the provider and with requirements relevant for the development of infrastructure or other technology;

  • appropriate performance targets in terms of safety, capacity, environment and cost-efficiency, as may be applicable.

Business Plan template is available to aid providers, especially those who may be producing such a document for the first time.

Close Business plan

Annual plan

(Annex 1 para 2.2)

The Annual Plan should specify further the features of the Business Plan and describe any changes to it. The annual plan shall cover the following provisions on the level and quality of service such as the expected level of capacity, safety, environmental and cost-efficiency, as may be applicable:

  • Information on the implementation of new infrastructure or other developments and a statement how they will contribute to improving the performance of the ANSP, including level and quality of services;

  • Performance indicators consistent with the national performance against which the level and quality of service may be reasonably assessed;

  • Information on the measures foreseen to mitigate the safety risks identified in the safety plan of the ANSP, including safety indicators to monitor safety risk and, where appropriate, the estimated cost of mitigation measures;
    and
  • The ANSP's expected short-term financial position as well as any changes to or impacts on the business plan.

An Annual Plan template is available to aid providers, especially those who may be producing such a document for the first time.

Close Annual plan

Independent audit

Annex 1 para 6.2)

An ANSP shall demonstrate that it is undergoing an independent audit of its financial accounts on a regular basis.

Close Independent audit

Ability to meet financial obligations

(Annex 1 para 6.1)

The CAA has determined that an ANSP's ability to meet its financial obligations will best be demonstrated by the ANSP undergoing an independent financial audit and receiving a positive auditor's statement.

If an ANSP is deemed no longer to be a 'going concern' then the auditor will be compelled to make a statement to this effect as part of the overall auditor's statement on the accounts.

Close Ability to meet financial obligations

Annual report

(Annex 1 para 9)

The Annual Report shall include as a minimum:

  • an assessment of the level of performance of air navigation services generated;

  • the performance of the ANSP compared to the performance targets established in the Business Plan, reconciling actual performance against the Annual Plan by using the indicators of performance established in the Annual Plan;

  • an explanation for differences with the targets, and identify measures for closing any gaps during the reference period;

  • developments in operations and infrastructure;

  • the financial results, as long as they are not separately published;

  • information about the formal consultation process with the users of its services;
    and
  • information about the human resources policy.

An Annual Report template is available to aid providers, especially those who may be producing such a document for the first time.

 

Note: if you are part of a wider organisation, the CAA will accept consolidated plans and reports, so long as these identify separately the activities at each of the airports where the organisation operates. Consolidated group audited accounts will be acceptable, these do not have to identify the different areas where the organisation operates.

The CAA's policies on the implementation of the economic and financial aspects of the Common Requirements regulation are set out in the outcome of the consultation published in December 2005.

Close Annual report

Note: if you are part of a wider organisation, the CAA will accept consolidated plans and reports, so long as these identify separately the activities at each of the airports where the organisation operates. Consolidated group audited accounts will be acceptable, these do not have to identify the different areas where the organisation operates.

The CAA's policies on the implementation of the economic and financial aspects of the Common Requirements regulation are set out in the outcome of the consultation published in December 2005.