The air transport industry is large, important and complex. It makes a massive contribution to the prosperity of Europe, both in terms of a globally competitive manufacturing sector providing goods and services, and also in terms of promoting the effective transfer of people and goods within Europe and globally. The industry is forecast to grow in importance. Employment related to the industry (taken to include manufacturing and the operational aspects of airlines, airports, air traffic control, policy and regulation) is already 3 million in Europe and set to rise to 5-7 million by 2020.

Achieving the objectives in Aeronautics in terms of growth, in terms of global competitiveness and in terms of sustainable development is critically dependent upon major aeronautical research and technological advances in the medium to long-term. The prosperous development of Aeronautics in Europe also depends upon key enablers such as improving the coherence and co-ordination of aeronautical research and innovation activities conducted at national and European levels.

GARTEUR (a government-to-government agreement between France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom to strengthen co-operation in aeronautics) and Air Transport Net (AirTN) are two examples of those key enablers.