On discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2024

The Committee on Transport and Tourism calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

1.Acknowledges the significant contributions of the Clean Aviation, Single European Sky ATM Research 3, and Europe’s Rail joint undertakings in advancing research, innovation, and technology development across various sectors, including aviation, rail, and air traffic management, as integral to achieving the EU’s strategic objectives of sustainability, digital transformation, and competitiveness;

Part I – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU)

2.Welcomes CAJU’s performance in 2024, which resulted in strong budget execution rates for both commitment and payment appropriations;

3.Recalls that 2024 marked the conclusion of the decade-long Clean Sky 2 (CS2) programme; welcomes the publication of the CS2 Technology Evaluation Global Assessment Report, which confirmed that the programme had largely achieved the objectives set out in the Council Regulation;

4.Commends CAJU for its work in executing the phase 1 of the Clean Aviation programme, which involved implementing, monitoring, and assessing selected innovation and coordination actions from the 2022 and 2023 calls for proposals;

5.Welcomes the steps taken by CAJU in 2024 to strengthen cooperation with the European Union Aviation Agency (EASA) to de-risk and demonstrate new technologies, to develop industry standards and regulatory material and to monitor the impact of the Clean Aviation programme projects to guarantee their conformity with the European Green Deal and EU Climate Law;

Part II – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Single European Sky ATM Research 3 Joint Undertaking (SESAR 3 JU)

6.Recognises that SESAR 3 JU fulfilled its strategic goals and implemented the activities planned for the first year of its 2024–2025 biannual work programme, welcoming the continuous progress in achieving the objectives outlined in its Single Basic Act and delivering the Digital European Sky (DES);

7.Points out the growing relevance of the security and defence dimension within SESAR 3 JU’s research and innovation agenda, reflecting the need for enhanced interoperability and resilience in European air traffic management; welcomes the JU’s enhanced cooperation with the European Defence Agency (EDA) and other defence stakeholders, particularly in incorporating military requirements into the development of dual-use technologies, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) integration, cybersecurity, and air-traffic management innovation; commends SESAR’s role in fostering synergies between civil and military aviation, supporting Europe’s strategic autonomy and operational preparedness; urges further advancement of its dual-use and defence-related projects under the European ATM Master Plan, ensuring that future deployment phases continue to reflect the EU’s priorities on safety, resilience, and secure cross-border mobility;

8.Welcomes SESAR’s progress in integrating drones and innovative air mobility into European airspace through U-space research and large-scale demonstration projects; acknowledges the development of digital and automated air-traffic management solutions enabling safe, efficient, and scalable drone operations for emergency response and infrastructure inspection tasks; encourages the JU to continue supporting the implementation of the European Drone Strategy 2.0 and to deliver mature U-space services that enhance safety, interoperability, and public trust in drone technologies across Europe;

Part III – Discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Europe’s Rail (EU-Rail) Joint Undertaking

9.Notes that 2024 was a transitional year for EU-Rail, marked by the appointment of a new Executive Director and a Head of Corporate Services;

10.Recalls that 2024 was also a closing year for administrative and financial activities under the Shift2Rail (S2R) programme, which concluded 101 projects and saw 99.4 % of its maximum available funding paid out;

11.Highlights EU-Rail’s significant progress in strengthening interoperability, resilience, and security within the European rail system, as demonstrated by its work on network management, traffic control, and system architecture; recalls that 2024 marked a shift to focusing entirely on the EU-Rail Programme activities and welcomes the first outputs provided under the EU-Rail’s System Pillar, notably the focus on developing a unified and secure operational concept, as well as the efforts to enhance resilience through vulnerability studies and climate adaptation of infrastructure; acknowledges that these initiatives contribute to the creation of a fully integrated and interoperable Single European Rail Area, supporting both efficient civilian mobility and the Union’s broader strategic and defence-mobility objectives.