FAB CE News

Bosnia-Herzegovina has become the seventh and final state to ratify the FAB CE Agreement. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic Slovenia informed the contracting states, the respective Instrument of ratification was deposited on February 6^th, 2013. The agreement will subsequently enter into force for Bosnia-Herzegovina on April 7, 2013.

The Notice concerning the implementation of Article 9a(7) of Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of air navigation services in the single European sky (Publication of Member States' decisions establishing functional airspace blocks) regarding FAB CE has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Notice (2013/C 31/10).

„Free Route Airspace“ Concept in FAB CE -  Users will be able to freely plan a route between a defined entry and exit point, with the possibility to route via intermediate (published or unpublished) way points, without reference to the ATS route network. 

Implementation of “Free Route Airspace” has already begun in Croatia and Austria. The step by step realisation within FAB CE will result in incremental benefits by applying “Free Route Airspace” structures and principles and deploying “Free Route Airspace” stepwise across the borders to a FAB CE-wide implementation by 2018 thereby substantially improving horizointal flight efficiency within the FAB.

The 9th FAB CE CEO Committee took place in Vienna on January 18th.The main topics on the agenda included the on-going FAB CE strategy development, an update on project activities by the Program Manager as well as TEN-T financing.

The successful launch of FAB CE on December 4th represents a major milestone in the implementaion of Single European Sky. The flow of air traffic in the Central European Region will see significant improvements over the coming years generating substantial benefits for airlines and passengers.  The overall added value of all FAB CE projects has recently been summarized in a detailed document.

Through the implementation of the FAB CE Airspace Plan around 4 million km are saved in excess route distance by 2015 from route improvements, increasing to 14.7 million km saved by 2018, with the implementation of “Free Route Airspace”. The consequent savings in CO2 emissions are 44,260 tons by 2015 and 162,150 tons by 2018. More than 70 proposals for route optmisiations are to be implemented within FAB CE as part of the Airspace Plan. The FAB wide „Free Route Airspace“ should be fully operational by 2018.

As of January 1, Croatia in accordance with the FAB Agreement has assumed the presidency of the FAB CE Council for 2013.

As the December 4th deadline approaches the European Commission has formally been notified on the establishment of FAB CE and the jointly designated air traffic service providers within FAB CE. The overall added value of all FAB CE projects has also recently been summarized in a detailed document.

Notification to EC on establishment of FAB CE
Information on jointly designated ANSPs
Overall added value of all FAB CE Projects