15 years of FABEC: civil–military cooperation powering 55% of Europe’s flights

Fifteen years ago, on 2 December 2010, six European states (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland) signed the FABEC Treaty, laying the foundation for one of the most ambitious airspace integration projects in Europe. Since its entry into force in 2013, the Functional Airspace Block Europe Central (FABEC) has evolved into a successful coordination platform at the heart of the Single European Sky initiative.

Covering the airspace of six countries and hosting major hubs such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris and Zurich, the FABEC region spans 1.7 million km² of highly complex and strategically important airspace. Controllers across the region handle around 55% of all European air traffic, guiding nearly 6 million flights every year. This cooperation focuses on enhancing safety, improving efficiency, and reducing environmental impact through more direct routes and optimized traffic flows.

The FABEC Treaty established a framework for:

● Joint airspace design and management beyond national borders.
● Harmonisation of rules and procedures for civil and military operations.
● Flexible use of airspace, ensuring coordinated solutions for both civilian and military needs.
● Provision of essential services including air traffic control, communication, navigation, surveillance, flight advisory and weather services.

The common performance plan demonstrates the willingness to keep cooperation strong and deliver tangible benefits for airlines, passengers and the environment. As FABEC enters its next chapter, the six states reaffirm their shared goal: safe, efficient and sustainable air traffic management in Europe’s most complex skies.

"FABEC is a living example of what European cooperation can achieve. By working together across borders, we have improved safety, efficiency and sustainability in one of the world’s busiest airspaces – and we are committed to going even further,” said Laura Könner, Director ANA Luxembourg and President of the FABEC Council for 2025.

"For over 15 years, FABEC ANSPs have collaborated closely across a wide spectrum of topics with one clear goal: to continuously improve the services for civil and military airspace users. Our commitment remains unchanged – together, we will continue to deliver safe, sustainable and efficient ATM in Europe's core area", said Maartje van der Helm, Chair of the FABEC CEO Board for 2025