Thanks for the detailed explanation, M609.
I have to defer to your knowledge and experience on the point merge and as someone who is actually operating the system, I have to accept your vote of confidence in it. I still don't really fully understand though why, a) PRNAV is required for this and b) why the 'amount of controlling' is less. I don't see why conventional STARs cannot be flown without a lot of vectoring. After all the STARs are designed for that reason are they not, in order that the aircraft can be assigned a STAR and left to fly it, including any level changes? Surely that can also be flown in most cases as a CDA?
Anyway, good luck with the new procedures. I hope with the fine tuning it does release capacity, but also you, but more importantly, Eurocontrol have to accept that PRNAV is a huge financial burden to impose on airlines at an inappropriate time. APD (in the UK), European carbon taxes etc, all add to the price of a ticket and this is in danger of making flying something which is out of reach for many people.