The Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA) define the common rules and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in European air navigation. They are therefore applicable to all European operators and their pilots. 

Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2024/403, 2024/404 and 2024/405, including its decisions establishing the acceptable means of compliance and guidance material, updated SERA and entered into force on 1 May 2025.

Your company should inform you about the upcoming changes which will have a direct impact on rules and regulations applicable to you. In case your operator does not publish information (in time), you may find below the relevant news for flying in European skies from May 2025.

Radio Communication failure (RCF) in EUR Airspace

The new SERA.14083 partly aligns European rules with ICAO Annex 2 and partly introduces deviating provisions:

(4) Except as provided for in point (5), an IFR flight shall (i) maintain the last assigned speed and level, or minimum flight altitude if higher, for a period of 20 minutes (…)

In European airspace, there is no differentiation anymore, whether the flight is under procedural or surveillance air traffic control. The former 7 minutes in surveillance airspace do not exist any longer.

(6) If an IFR flight encounters visual meteorological conditions and the pilot-in-command decides to continue to fly in visual meteorological conditions, the pilot shall set Mode A Code 7601, land at the nearest suitable aerodrome, and report arrival by the most expeditious means to the appropriate air traffic services unit.

The option to maintain VMC conditions has existed for a long time in ICAO provisions. On the other hand, note that SERA requires to squawk A7601 in such a case, which is not part of ICAO’s rules.

A complete RCF is a very rare and exceptional case in today’s environment.  It is not to be mistaken with a loss of communication, which is a temporary situation when crews and ATC cannot communicate with each other due to different reasons. RCF is a total failure of all communication systems including, among others, ACARS or mobile telephone at low altitudes.

New Phraseology on SIDs and STARs as well as for de-icing/anti-icing

ICAO has already introduced new phraseology on SID’s and STARs in ICAO Doc 4444 end of 2016. The aim was to always clarify whether restrictions on published procedures must be adhered to. This phraseology has now been included in Appendix 1 to AMC1 SERA.14001.

ATC will use “CLIMB VIA SID TO (LEVEL)” or “DESCEND VIA STAR TO (LEVEL)” whenever published restrictions on a SID or STAR are to be adhered to. If there are no (more) restrictions on a procedure, “CLIMB/DESCEND TO (LEVEL)” must be used by ATC indicating an unrestricted climb or descent. Whenever a restriction does not have to be adhered to, ATC must explicitly cancel a particular or all restrictions, e.g.

“CLIMB VIA SID TO (LEVEL), CANCEL LEVEL RESTRICTION AT (POINT)”, or

“DESCENT VIA STAR TO (LEVEL), CANCEL SPEED RESTRICTIONS”, or

“CLIMB/DESCEND UNRESTRICTED TO (LEVEL)”

The flight crew must comply with and read back the clearance accordingly. Note that the cancelation of speed restrictions is only applicable to the procedure but does not relieve the flight crew from adhering to speeds associated with airspace classes. 

Furthermore, the lateral profile must always be followed. If ATC clears an aircraft directly to a subsequent waypoint of the procedure, bypassed restrictions do not have to be adhered to. But the restrictions after the direct-to-waypoint remain in force. Seek clarification whenever you receive a clearance, that does not clearly specify whether you must adhere to a restriction ahead of you. Independent of the new phraseology on instrument procedures, speed control instructions always remain in effect unless explicitly cancelled or amended by the air traffic controller [AMC1 SERA.8015(b)(1)].

Additionally, phraseology for de-icing and anti-icing operations has been implemented in line with ICAO Doc 4444.

Deviation from Cruise Speeds filed in the Flight Plan

SERA.8020 states that ATC shall be informed when the cruising speed varies from the current flight plan. This is not new but was often disregarded by crews and ATC without consequences. The limits have now been tightened to +/- M.02 or more, or +/- 10 kts TAS or more. In times of increased flight plan adherence efforts, it is possible that ATC will take a closer look at this provision in the future.

Preventing Runway Incursions

It sounds obvious but EASA emphasises with the new SERA.3212 what pilots (and vehicle drivers) have to do, in case of “Uncertainty as to the position on the manoeuvring area”:

Pilots shall stop the aircraft immediately and notify the appropriate air traffic services unit (including the last known position)!