Paul Riemens is Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL) since October 2009. At present he is Chairman of the Executive Committee of CANSO. He held the position of Vice-Chairman of the CANSO European CEO Coordination Meeting (EC3).In 2011 he completed a PhD research into the management of Dutch aviation, became Doctor in Economics and Business Administration at VU University Amsterdam.

LVNL is one of the partners of FABEC, how do you see FABs partnership going forward?

The FAB is a crucial tool of the European Commission to improve performance in the area of safety, capacity and efficiency. A more efficient airspace design is needed with shorter routes and reduced delays and emissions. Efficiency of ANSP can improve by economies of scale.I think the only way forward for FABs is by choosing a performance driven model towards enhanced cooperation between ANSPs. In this model FABs evolve on the basis of co-makership between member States and ANSPs. Member States are responsible for setting the performance targets and the required legal and institutional framework and the ANSPs for finding the required solutions. ANSPs should use their entrepreneurial spirit to find solutions to come to the required FAB performance improvement.

The first reference period of the Performance Scheme has just started: what impact will it have on LVNL?

LVNL has a history in management of performance. Driving force for the introduction of performance management was the need for decision making on basis of objective performance analyses. Already since 2000 LVNL has established the publication of an 'LVNL Performance Standard´. In this standard LVNL specifies its expected performance on safety, efficiency and environment, thereby managing the expectations of its stakeholders. The indicators in the LVNL Performance Standard have also been developed in a framework in close cooperation together with customers and government.
From 2008 onwards a national framework for performance regulation has been implemented. Therefore, the introduction of European Regulations on performance management were, for LVNL, a logical expansion of an already implemented management mechanism.
Still the introduction of the first reference period poses a major challenge, also in the cooperation within FABEC. On a detailed level, data collection and reporting mechanisms have to be implemented. To that end, definitions have to be harmonized, confidentiality issues have to be resolved and agreements must be made.

As the Chairman of CANSO ExCom, could you evaluate the added value of the cooperation inside our trade association to globally improve the ATM network?

ATM is an integral part of the aviation system and our stakeholders. These stakeholders are looking to CANSO to show leadership in the ATM Industry and lead the transformation in a coherent and collaborative way with the aviation community. By doing so CANSO will become a global partner.CANSO needs to work together to challenge and face the pressure on safety, capacity, cost-effectiveness, sustainability and should be able to deliver real change. Setting common safety, operational and technical standards with IATA, ACI and ICAO is of paramount importance to the development of the regions and the improvement of the ATM Network.

This year the ICAO ANC will take place in Montreal. What are your expectations from such important symposium?

The ICAO Aviation System Block Upgrades (ASBU) is a vital mechanism for the global aviation community to achieve uniform progress, providing a common vision that will help to improve ATM performance.