Air Traffic Controller License Correction: What Changes in 2026

Key data

Air traffic controllers, aeronautical training centers and national civil aviation authorities face a new obligation: to verify whether the rectification published on May 8, 2026 affects licenses and certificates in force or in the process of being issued.

The rectification corrects errors in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/893, which amended Regulation (EU) 2015/340, the framework regulation that establishes the technical requirements and administrative procedures applicable to air traffic controller licenses and certificates throughout the European Union. Although this is a technical correction, its scope directly affects the operational safety of European airspace.

In Spain, the competent authority is the State Agency for Air Safety (AESA), which must apply the corrected version of the regulation and communicate its implications to the affected operators and professionals.

What does this regulation establish?

This publication is a formal rectification, which means it does not introduce new policy changes, but rather corrects errors detected in the text of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/893, originally published in Official Journal L 118 of May 4, 2023.

Regulation (EU) 2015/340, which is the base regulation, establishes the complete framework of technical requirements and administrative procedures for air traffic controller licenses and certificates in the EU. The 2023 amendment updated parts of that framework, and this 2026 rectification corrects the errors contained in that amendment.

According to available information, the corrections may affect the following areas:

• Training requirements for obtaining licenses
• Ratings associated with controller licenses
• Conditions for issuing new licenses
• Conditions for renewing existing licenses and certificates

The version that prevails and that all national authorities must apply is the corrected version published on May 8, 2026, not the original 2023 text.

Economic and operational impact

Although the rectification does not introduce new fees or direct economic sanctions, its operational impact may be significant for sector stakeholders:

• Aeronautical training centers: If the corrections affect training requirements, they may be forced to review and adapt their programs and materials, with the associated cost in time and resources.
• Controllers with licenses in process: Any pending application must be evaluated under the corrected requirements, which may extend timelines or require additional documentation.
• Controllers with valid licenses: If the corrections affect renewal conditions or ratings, they must verify that their current situation remains compliant with the corrected regulation.
• AESA and national authorities: Must update their internal procedures and communicate to affected parties the changes resulting from the corrected version.

The specific impact in each case will depend on the exact content of the corrections, which must be consulted in the full text published in EUR-Lex.

Who does it affect?

• Active air traffic controllers who must renew their licenses or ratings
• Aspiring controllers with license applications in process
• Aeronautical training centers that provide programs for obtaining controller licenses
• AESA (State Agency for Air Safety), as the competent national authority in Spain
• Civil aviation authorities of other EU member states
• Air navigation service providers that manage personnel with licenses subject to the regulation

Practical example

An aeronautical training center in Spain currently has several students in the process of obtaining their air traffic controller license under the requirements established by Regulation (EU) 2023/893.

Following the publication of this rectification on May 8, 2026, the center must review whether any of the training requirements or ratings it applies to those applications has been corrected. If the rectification modifies, for example, the minimum hours of practical training or the evaluation criteria for a specific rating, the pending applications must be adapted to the corrected requirements before AESA proceeds to issue the licenses.

Similarly, a controller who has a pending renewal of a specific rating must verify with AESA whether the renewal conditions have changed from what applied before the rectification.

What should companies do now?

1. Download and read the corrected text: Access the rectification published in EUR-Lex (OJ:L_202690374) and compare the corrections with the text of Regulation (EU) 2023/893 that you have been applying. Identify which articles or annexes have been modified.
2. Review pending applications: If you have license or rating applications in process, verify with AESA whether they must be adapted to the corrected requirements before resolution.
3. Audit valid licenses and ratings: Check whether the renewal conditions of current licenses have been affected by the corrections. Prioritize cases with upcoming renewals.
4. Update training programs: Training centers must review their curricula and materials to ensure they comply with the corrected requirements, especially regarding ratings and evaluation criteria.
5. Contact AESA: If you have any doubts about the application of the corrected version, consult directly with the State Agency for Air Safety, which is the competent authority in Spain for the application of this regulation.
6. Document the review process: Record the actions taken to adapt to the corrected version. In case of inspection, this documentation proves the organization's diligence.