Article 1 -- Objective and scope

• Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 found in: SKPI (2019/317) Safety Key Performance Indicators (Dec 2020)

Article 1 — Objective and scope Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 1. The objective of the single European sky initiative is to enhance current safety standards and overall efficiency for general air traffic in Europe, to optimise capacity meeting the requirements of all airspace users and to minimise delays. In pursuit of this objective, the aim of this Regulation is to establish a harmonised regulatory framework for the creation of the single European sky by 31 December 2004. 2. The application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in [Article 3](#_DxCrossRefBm1409943937) shall be without prejudice to Member States’ sovereignty over their airspace and to the requirements of the Member States relating to public order, public security and defence matters, as set out in [Article 13](#_DxCrossRefBm1409943939). This Regulation and the abovementioned measures do not cover military operations and training. 3. The application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in [Article 3](#_DxCrossRefBm1409943937) shall be without prejudice to the rights and duties of Member States under the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. 4. The application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in [Article 3](#_DxCrossRefBm1409943937) to the airport of Gibraltar is understood to be without prejudice to the respective legal positions of the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom with regard to the dispute over sovereignty over the territory in which the airport is situated. 5. Application of this Regulation and of the measures referred to in [Article 3](#_DxCrossRefBm1409943937) to Gibraltar airport shall be suspended until the arrangements included in the Joint Declaration made by the Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom on 2 December 1987 enter into operation. The Governments of Spain and the United Kingdom will inform the Council of such date of entry into operation.