Allocation of slots at EU airports
With the Council of the EU, which is preparing its first-reading position.
Last active 13 Nov 2024
What this bill does
In plain terms: what it changes and who it affects.
Recasts EU airport slot rules to improve use of congested airports through slot trading, stricter use requirements, and stronger coordination oversight.
It affects airlines, airports, business aviation operators, air navigation bodies, and passengers using congested EU airports. It also affects new entrant airlines seeking access to busy airports.
- Allows airlines to transfer, exchange, buy, and sell airport slots under transparent safeguards.
- Raises slot-use threshold for historical priority from 80% to 85%.
- Increases minimum slot series length to 15 in summer and 10 in winter.
- Creates stronger independence, reporting, and data duties for airport slot coordinators.
- Takes effect
- It enters into force on the first day of the second scheduling period starting after publication in the Official Journal.
- Council Regulation (EEC) No 95/93 (31993R0095)
- entire act: repeals and recasts the entire slot allocation regulation
Latest update
05 Jun 2026The most recent development in this bill's progress.
Council slot-allocation file remains in first-reading discussions
1st reading – Council of the EU → 1st reading – Council of the EU
The airport slots proposal is still under Council examination, with working party and Coreper activity but no completed legislative phase.
- Why now: The file has not advanced beyond first-reading Council deliberations; no new text document was supplied.
- Council working party met on 19 and 20 February 2026.
- Further Council working party deliberations took place on 15 April 2026.
- EESC delivered its opinion on 18 March 2026.
Documents
1 recentSourcesOEILEUR-LexEU Law Tracker