The Autumn ARC Conference on "Future-proof aviation for all: airports, airlines and
region working together for the common good", gathering more than one hundred thirty participants, took place at the Catalan House on December 1.
Ms Evelyn Regner, the Vice-president of the European Parliament, together with Mr Erich
Valentin, ARC President, opened the Conference focusing on the challenges of the EU
aviation, and the answers needed to be planned and developed to achieve this
goal: good aviation for all.
The Conference was developed around four panels to get a holistic view of the
present and future of aviation & airport sectors and airport regions: EU aviation
challenges, EU answers with Mr Dominik Piotrowski (Deputy head of Aviation
Policy, DG MOVE), Mr Morgan Foulkes (Deputy Director General, ACI) and Mr
Thomas Reynaert (Managing Director, Airlines for Europe); Airports, airlines and
airport regions: powerful economic drivers with Ms Josianne Cutajar (Member of the
European Parliament, Malta), Mr Julian Jäger (CEO, Vienna Airport), Ms Solene
Flahault (Head of Aeropolitical, ERA), Mr Jordi Candela (Director General, Airports
of Catalonia) and Mr Cathal Boland (Councillor, Fingal County Council); Airports,
airlines and airport regions facing together a green transition with Mr Jakop Dalunde
(Member of the European Parliament, Sweden), Ms Gemma Badia (Mayor, Gavà), Mr
Jörg Meinke (Head of Environment unit, Lufthansa), Mr Jean-Pierre Lentz (Alliance
for zero-emission aviation, DG Defense Industry and Space) and Ms Marilyn Bastin
(Head of aviation sustainability, Eurocontrol); A sector working for a better quality of
life for all with Mr Andreas Schieder (Member of the European Parliament, Austria),
Mr Enrique Carmona (International Transports Workers Federation), Ms Delphine
Grandsart (Head of projects, European Passenger Federation), Ms Isabelle Borli
(Managing director, Aviato) and Ms Ulla Ruuskanen (Head of international affairs,
Vantaa City).
During the day, all speakers showed their trust that Europe, with the work and efforts of
all stakeholders, will achieve the goal of good aviation for all and what their
institutions and organisations are proposing, developing, demanding and planning to achieve it. In this sense, we would like to underline the words from the ARC
President Mr Erich Valentin, who emphasised the necessity of a strong political
commitment at all levels: European, national, regional and local. The presentations raised many questions and comments, triggering vibrant discussions and debates.