The Declaration was first launched in June 2025 by ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the European Regions Airline Association (ERA). The latest signatories are the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics, and Customs Services (CLECAT), the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the European Express Association (EEA), the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation Europe (CANSO Europe) and the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD).
The expanded coalition reflects growing alignment across the transport sector regarding the importance of protecting air connectivity and its contribution to European competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
The Athens Declaration was developed in response to a number of cases where EU Member States were deemed to have disregarded the internationally agreed framework of the ICAO Balanced Approach to Aircraft Noise Management. The Noise Balanced Approach is a mandatory procedure under EU Regulation 598/2014 and requires Member States to assess airport noise situations and evaluate all available mitigation measures before considering operating restrictions.
The framework is based on four pillars: reducing noise at source, land-use planning and management, noise abatement operational procedures and operating restrictions. Under the regulation, operating restrictions should only be introduced as a measure of last resort after all other available options have been assessed and maximised.
According to the signatories, several governments have introduced operating restrictions directly, bypassing the Balanced Approach process through ad hoc decisions. The organisations argue that such actions can affect air connectivity, which supports approximately 14 million jobs and contributes around 5% of European GDP.
Through the Declaration, airports, passenger, cargo and business aviation operators, express delivery companies, freight forwarders, manufacturers and air navigation service providers are calling for the full and consistent implementation of Regulation 598/2014 across Europe. They are also urging the European Commission to strengthen enforcement of the regulation, provide clearer guidance to Member States and support globally consistent noise management through ICAO.
The Declaration further calls on European governments to ensure that noise management decisions are evidence-based, transparent and balanced against the broader socioeconomic value of air connectivity and cargo operations. It also advocates a more integrated approach that balances airport capacity, connectivity, sustainability and noise management while safeguarding the free movement of passengers and goods.
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe, said: “Airports along with airlines have long invested in reducing noise impacts through the use of quieter aircraft, operational improvements and extensive community mitigation measures including noise insulation programmes – all as part of their broader sustainability commitments. The fact that five additional organisations have now joined this Declaration sends a strong signal that the wider transport ecosystem stands united in calling for consistency, fairness and full respect for established global standards and EU rules. What we now need urgently to secure the respect of the Balanced Approach at national and local level is clear guidance from the European Commission on how Member States should fully implement it. This is about safeguarding Europe’s connectivity, competitiveness and ability to deliver a coherent transport policy that supports both citizens and the economy.”
The signatories stated that fragmented and inconsistent noise policies should not undermine Europe’s air connectivity or the long-term development of its aviation sector, both of which are considered important to the continent’s competitiveness, international position and strategic autonomy.
