FABEC States adopt common Airspace Policy

On 5 December 2016, the six FABEC States Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland underlined their joint commitment to improve the performance within the FABEC airspace by adopting a new and far-reaching common airspace policy in application of Article 10 of the FABEC Treaty. FABEC Airspace Policy principles and processes shall be applied by FABEC States and ANSPs who shall align all relevant parts of national airspace policies accordingly. The FABEC Airspace Policy is a reference document for FABEC States and air navigation service providers to organise and manage FABEC airspace in order to meet the FABEC Treaty objectives in terms of safety, capacity, efficiency and cost efficiency, while addressing stakeholder needs. It includes airspace organisation, airspace design and airspace management principles as well as processes that FABEC States and air navigation service providers shall apply to airspace design and management. The document is based on the first version adopted in 2012.

The FABEC Airspace Policy includes general principles related to airspace organisation, airspace design, airspace management, and air traffic flow and capacity management for FABEC airspace to account for different and sometimes diverging rules and procedures within FABEC States or ANSPs. In addition, it reaffirms the principle of the flexible use of airspace between civil and military users and provides a set of harmonised booking principles and of civil-military priority rules for FABEC airspace management with the objective of improving the flow of civil aviation while ensuring and improving the effectiveness of military missions.

In addition, the FABEC Airspace Policy establishes processes and procedures related to the management and implementation of airspace changes within FABEC airspace that have a significant impact on FABEC airspace or network performance. In particular, it establishes a FABEC airspace change process to allow FABEC States to ensure that significant FABEC airspace changes are initiated, developed, approved and implemented in a safe and controlled manner, in accordance with the policies and procedures laid down by the FABEC Airspace Policy, and that appropriate coordination between FABEC States and ANSPs is achieved. Finally, the Airspace Policy addresses the coordination between FABEC and the Network Manager and the role and responsibilities of the FABEC Airspace Committee.