Amendment to air traffic controller licensing regulations: what changes and what authorities and training centres must review

Key data

The procedures for endorsement, renewal and validation of air traffic controller licences in the European Union must be reviewed. The European Commission published on 16 June 2026 an amendment to the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/893, which in turn amended the Regulation (EU) 2015/340, the base regulation that sets the technical requirements and administrative procedures applicable to air traffic controller licences and certificates throughout the EU.

What makes this amendment particularly relevant is its retroactive effect: the changes apply from the original publication of the amended regulation, 4 May 2023. Any procedure applied since that date under the erroneous version may need adjustment.

What does this regulation establish?

A European regulatory amendment does not introduce new obligations from scratch: it corrects errors or omissions that existed in an already published text. In this case, the amendment acts on Regulation (EU) 2023/893, which amended the general framework for air traffic controller licences established in Regulation (EU) 2015/340.

The concrete impact of the amendment is concentrated in three procedural areas:

The retroactivity to 4 May 2023 means that any action taken under the unamended version of the regulation must be evaluated to determine whether it complies with the now-current version. The regulation does not specify a specific timeframe for this review, but the publication of the amendment activates the verification obligation for the competent authorities.

Economic and operational impact

This amendment does not generate direct costs of a tax or tariff nature. Its impact is fundamentally operational and regulatory compliance. The practical effects translate into:

• Cost of internal review: National civil aviation authorities and training centres must dedicate resources to audit the procedures applied since May 2023 to detect possible deviations from the amended version.
• Possible procedure adjustments: If differences are detected between what was applied and what the amended version establishes, it may be necessary to correct files, reissue documentation or review endorsements already granted.
• Risk of invalidity of previous actions: Administrative actions based on the erroneous version of the regulation could be challenged, especially in processes of endorsement, renewal or validation of licences carried out between May 2023 and the date of publication of this amendment.
• Impact on air navigation service providers: Providers managing personnel with licences issued or renewed in that period must verify the validity of such licences in accordance with the amended version.

Who does it affect?

• National civil aviation authorities of all EU Member States, including in Spain the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), which must verify whether the procedures applied since May 2023 require adjustments.
• Aeronautical training centres and bodies that provide training for the obtaining or renewal of air traffic controller licences.
• Air navigation service providers that have personnel whose licences have been issued, renewed or validated since 4 May 2023.
• Air traffic controllers whose licences, endorsements or certificates have been processed under Regulation (EU) 2023/893 since its original publication.

Practical example

An aeronautical training centre that has processed the renewal of air traffic controller licences between May 2023 and June 2026 applying the procedures of Regulation (EU) 2023/893 must now review whether those procedures complied with the amended version or the version that contained errors or omissions.

If the centre detects that any renewal or endorsement procedure was carried out in accordance with the incorrect version, it must coordinate with the national civil aviation authority — in Spain, AESA — to determine whether the licences issued are valid as they are or whether they require some form of correction or revalidation. This verification process does not have a fixed regulatory cost, but it does involve dedication of internal resources and, potentially, additional administrative management with the competent authority.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify internal scope: Determine whether the organisation has processed procedures for endorsement, renewal or validation of air traffic controller licences between 4 May 2023 and 16 June 2026.
2. Access the amended version: Consult the full text of the amendment published in the EU Official Journal to identify exactly what errors or omissions are corrected with respect to Regulation (EU) 2023/893.
3. Compare procedures applied: Contrast the internal procedures used since May 2023 with those established by the amended version of the regulation, paying special attention to endorsement, renewal and validation.
4. Coordinate with the competent authority: If deviations are detected, contact the national civil aviation authority (in Spain, AESA) to determine the necessary corrective actions and the treatment of licences already issued.
5. Update internal procedures: Incorporate the changes resulting from the amended version into procedure manuals and internal documentation, ensuring that all future processing is carried out in accordance with the current text.
6. Document the review carried out: Keep written record of the verification process carried out, the results obtained and the corrective actions adopted, as evidence of diligence in the event of possible inspections or requests from the authority.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202690473