Brussels, 24/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) has expressed its support for the strike organised by four French trade unions (CGT, CGC, FO and UNSA/Iessa) against the consolidation, proposed by France, of air traffic services among the states making up the FABEC (Functional Airspace Block Europe Central). In a press release issued on Tuesday 23 February, the ETF says that the proposal from the French transport ministry, which would set up a single public body bringing together air traffic services from six FABEC states (France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland), threatens jobs and employment conditions within the sector.
For the moment, no decision has been taken on the governance of the FABEC. To add to French employees' concerns over the loss of their civil servant status (unlike those of the other FABEC countries, French air traffic controllers are public employees), there are the discussions between states on the very structure of air traffic control within the bloc. ETF and Belgium, fearing that if there was to be an integrated system, their interests might be somewhat ignored under pressure from the other large states which make up the FABEC, would prefer a co-operative model. This cooperative model consists of Area Control Centres (ACCs) remotely located, but interconnected and operating technically as a single air traffic management centre, the ETF says, stressing the importance of “constructive political dialogue” in establishing the bloc. It is far from likely, however, that this model will respond to the aims of the Single Sky, which seeks to end the fragmentation and to consolidate air traffic management in Europe. Head of the French Civil Aviation Directorate General (DGAC) Patrick Gandil, reported by Le Monde, noted that, in the event of an integrated structure, France had no intention of changing the status of its employees. He also stressed that, despite responsibilities being transferred to the single body, each national organisation would retain its own responsibilities. The FABEC is the largest of the nine functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) identified among member states, the implementation of which is a precondition for the reform of air traffic control in Europe that was provided for in the second Single Sky package (see EUROPE 9971 and 9648). Their role is to adapt air traffic management to the operational needs of air navigation, based on a binding performance system, and not depending on national borders, as is the case currently (see EUROPE 9689). All FABs, in line with the provisions in the Single Sky package, are to be operational by the end of 2012. The Spanish Presidency of the EU and the Commission have called a high level meeting on the application of the European Single Sky, bringing together all the players involved in this air traffic management modernisation programme (European Air Safety Agency, Eurocontrol, air navigation services providers and the military sector). The meeting will take place in Madrid on 24-25 February. (A.By./transl.rt)