Brussels, 27/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 19 March, the vice president of the European Commission, Jacques Barrot, who is also in charge of transport, said that in June the European Commission would be presenting proposals to speed up implementation of the functional airspace blocs (FABs) and to harmonise air traffic control in Europe. Before reiterating his previous declarations, according to which, airspace control “with national borders” is not efficient, he informed the Financial Times newspaper that “we will propose functional blocs with dynamic frontiers on a regional basis”. Functional airspace blocs are part of the “single sky” air traffic control programme, and will allow for supranational control of air traffic by replacing national traffic control areas with larger geographical coordinated zones that supersede national borders (EUROPE 8634). Mr Barrot, however, admitted that that it would be difficult to get the decision accepted by member states (current legislation gives member states exclusive competency over FAB implementation), which fear a loss of sovereignty and job losses among national air traffic controllers. Barrot pointed out that “there is pressure from the airlines not just on controllers, but on governments. The unions are very, very worried”. He also stressed that harmonisation of the air traffic control system, strengthened by new technology, would help airlines save around €4bn by 2020. According to the Financial Times, air traffic control costs €7bn a year and airlines pay an average of €800 a flight, the double paid by US airlines operating in a single control system. (A.By)