Brussels, 05/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovak Republic and Slovenia signed an agreement on Thursday 5 May to create the “Functional Airspace Block - Central Europe” (FAB CE). The agreement marks the realisation of the fourth of nine FABs, the creation of which is necessary if the Single European Sky - modernising air traffic control in Europe - is to be implemented. The other member states are expected to sign similar agreements in the coming year, says the European Commission in a press release.
The signing of the agreement is “an important step forward, not easy to achieve” but proves that “the Single Sky which is so badly needed is slowly, step-by-step, entering into line”, Helen Kearns, the spokeswoman for European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, told press. The commissioner stressed the fact that the FAB CE involved two of the EU's neighbouring states. “In view of the location of the FAB on the South-East axis and the forecast growth in traffic in this area, its success will depend on the efficient implementation of the cooperation structures and optimisation of the air navigation service provision”, he said in a press release published on Thursday.
The creation of functional airspace blocks is one of the cornerstones of the Single European Sky. Made up of groups of states, they will allow air traffic management in line with aviation's operational needs, ending the management of air traffic according to the administrative borders of each state.
The FAB CE agreement creates the framework, general conditions and governance under which the contracting states intend to ensure air traffic management and the provision of air navigation services. FAB CE will be governed by a Council (the decision-making body), representing the interests of both civil and military aviation with sub-committees: - Joint Civil Military Airspace Coordination Committee (JCMACC) for strategic coordination of national airspace management and airspace design policies, air traffic flow and capacity management processes and civil-military cooperation; - the National Supervisory Authorities Coordination Committee (NSA CC); - other bodies established by Council as necessary for implementation, operation and further development of FAB CE. The nine FABs are due to be up and running by December 2012. Before the FAB CE can be fully implemented, the agreement signed on Thursday will have to be ratified. (A.By./transl.rt)