Brussels, 17/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 17 December, on the sidelines of the Transport Council, Denmark and Sweden signed a bilateral agreement on implementation of a Functional Airspace Block (FAB). The agreement makes official de facto cooperation between Denmark and Sweden on air traffic management and sets in place a joint air traffic control authority (NUAC). An integral part of the European Single Sky programme, which aims to modernise air traffic management in Europe, FABs allow air traffic to be managed depending on operational needs of air operators, and not in relation to geographic borders. Based on results, FABs must make air traffic movements more effective by reducing the duration of flights and thus allowing major reductions in costs and greenhouse gas emissions (CO2). The FAB created by Sweden and Denmark is expected to cut CO2 emissions by 52,000 tonnes annually and allow airlines to generate savings of around €20 million annually. To date, nine FABs have been identified in Europe and three have been officially set in place. In line with the provisions of the Single Sky programme, they must be up and running by 2012 at the latest. (A.By./transl.jl)