For a Company or Organisation to be able to provide Air Navigation Services in the UK, they must hold a Certificate issued by the CAA as the UK National Supervisory Authority (NSA) for SES, as set out in:

• Article 7 of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 550/2004 The Service Provision Regulation  
  and
• Article 8b(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 216/2008, the EASA Basic Regulation.

To achieve certification, the Company or Organisation must demonstrate compliance with the applicable requirements of Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1035/2011, The Common Requirements for the provision of air navigation services, (the applicable requirements depend on the type of services being provided).

If a Company or Organisation intends to provide an Air Traffic Control (ATC) service, it must also obtain certification as a Training Organisation by demonstrating compliance with:

• Commission Regulation (EU) No. 2015/340 The ATCO licensing Regulation

A Certificate is in effect a market entry ticket indicating capability to provide a service. It is sufficient on its own to provide services other than air traffic services, i.e. Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) , Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) or Meteorological Services.

However a Company or Organisation cannot provide air traffic services at a specified location without demonstrating the capability of practically providing such services to the satisfaction of the CAA. This requires a certificated provider to obtain, in addition, a 'Letter of Designation' (addressed below).

The process of Certification requires:

• the completion of the relevant Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1035/2011 Compliance Matrices to the satisfaction of the CAA;
• the completion of the relevant matrices for the type of training which will be delivered to the satisfaction of the CAA (ATC providers only); 
  and
• the successful completion of a pre-certification audit.

Where a Certificated Air Traffic Service Provider (ATSP) intends to provide services at a new location, usually an aerodrome, the ATSP must be in possession of a 'Letter of Designation' before such services can be supplied.

A 'Letter of Designation' is issued by the CAA pursuant to Article 8(1) of the Service Provision Regulation and Regulation 4 of the Single European Sky (Functions of the National Supervisory Authority) Regulations 2006.

Where the ATSP intends to provide an Air Traffic Control (ATC) service at the new location it must also obtain certification as a Training Organisation at that location, as indicated above.

The process of designation for a certificated ATSP requires:

• the completion of the relevant Commission Regulation (EU) No. 2015/340 Compliance Matrices for the type of training that will be delivered to the satisfaction of the CAA (ATC providers only); 
  and
• the successful completion of a pre-designation audit.

The successful completion of a pre-designation audit occurs when the certificated ATSP can demonstrate that the requirements of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 1035/2011, the national requirements detailed in CAP 670 ATC 01 and the requirements of Commission Regulation (EU) No. 2015/340, where applicable, have been fully implemented at the unit where the designation will apply.

The pre-designation audit will include a review of the ANSP's:

• management System documentation,
• training documentation,
• local operating procedures 
  and
• engineering arrangements as applicable to the unit where the Designation will apply.