WE ARE APPROACHING THE END OF THE YEAR — WHAT WOULD YOU SEE AS THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS FOR COOPANS IN 2025?

The year 2025 has been demanding and exciting for COOPANS. We have been deeply engaged in the preparatory work for the implementation of a major overhaul of our ATM system across all partner sites.

At the same time, COOPANS remains firmly committed to delivering ongoing performance improvements and ensuring compliance with EU regulatory requirements for the system currently in operation, a system that must continue to serve us reliably in the years ahead.

This year, all Alliance partners have experienced traffic growth, with several managing to significantly reduce delays and maintain smooth operations. We partially attribute this to the stability and strong performance of the COOPANS ATM system. Once again, our unique joint approach has proven to be an effective response to the increasing complexity of the European airspace. We are particularly proud of the productivity and cost efficiency that our collaborative solutions continue to deliver.

COOPANS has also been actively participating in, and in some cases leading, several European ATM projects with our partners, many of which are supported and co-funded by the EU. The largest and most demanding of these, the EXODUS Virtual Centres project, has now reached its midpoint, and we are preparing for the demonstration phase. Once completed, these initiatives will collectively contribute to safer, more efficient, and higher-performing operations across the European sky.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES FOR COOPANS LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR?

Our focus remains clear: to continue the modernisation of our ATM system in close cooperation with our industry partner, Thales. Together, we are developing concepts, operational enhancements, and modernisation solutions, while also engaging with other service providers who share our partnership values and collaborative approach.

However, achieving EU-wide alignment is never simple – it requires time, commitment, and persistence. We believe that the proven success of COOPANS offers a strong argument for accelerating the digitalisation momentum that is now building across Europe. The modernised system, which will be fully compliant with the existing EU regulations, is designed even to anticipate and meet some new requirements currently under discussion. The operational benefits, combined with new SDO-related features, will move us a significant step forward, well beyond the targets set at European level.

Looking ahead, one of the most pressing challenges will be managing resources efficiently across a growing number of parallel development streams. With work progressing simultaneously on multiple modernisation, operational, and regulatory projects, ensuring that the right expertise is available at the right time will require careful prioritisation and coordination. This complexity is further amplified by the expected traffic evolution: cumulative COOPANS traffic in 2026 is projected to rise to 15% above 2019 levels, with most Alliance members facing double-digit increases. Ensuring that the modernised platform continues to deliver stable, resilient, and scalable performance, while traffic volumes accelerate faster than originally anticipated, will be a key focus area for the entire Alliance.

WHAT ROLE CAN COOPANS PLAY IN THE MODERNISATION OF EUROPEAN ATM?

COOPANS is ready to take a leading role in the modernisation of European Air Traffic Management, working closely with our industry partners to turn innovation into operational reality. With COOPANS-managed airspace spanning across Europe, we operate in diverse environments that require smart harmonisation and coordinated solutions. This diversity gives the Alliance a unique position to pioneer a new, collaborative delivery model for the future of ATM.

In line with the ambitions of the European ATM Master Plan, COOPANS is embracing infrastructure digitalisation and a higher degree of automation as key enablers of safer, more efficient, and more sustainable airspace operations. 

The EXODUS project, already underway, represents a major step in this direction, bringing to life the first multi-state virtual centre in Europe, and indeed worldwide. It demonstrates how collaboration, shared digital infrastructure, and harmonised cross-border operational concepts can drive tangible progress toward a more unified and resilient European ATM system.

At the same time, COOPANS remains fully committed to addressing cybersecurity challenges within the emerging COOPANS Cloud: a secure, collaborative environment connecting COOPANS Alliance partners and other key stakeholders across the European aviation arena. By strengthening cooperation, sharing development, and accelerating the deployment of interoperable digital solutions, COOPANS will continue to play an active part in shaping the future of European ATM – one that is connected, automated, and ready for tomorrow’s challenges.