News Archive
Bi-annual FABEC States and ANSPs meeting:
FABEC is preparing for increased traffic demand in the core area
Paris, 2 July 2024 - Representatives of the FABEC States, their military authorities and air navigation service providers met in Paris today to discuss the EU's air traffic management performance scheme, traffic growth and investment needs, and the future of their relations with other functional airspace blocks.
Before holding their 29th joint bi-annual meeting in the afternoon, the FABEC Council, which brings together all Member States, and the FABEC CEO Board, which represents the ANSPs, held individual meetings chaired by FABEC President Daniel Cazé, DG Civil Aviation (France), and Johan Decuyper, CEO skeyes and President of the ANSP Board, respectively.
The drafting of the FABEC RP4 performance plan covering 2025-2029 is particularly challenging given the urgent need for investment in new systems and additional human resources to prepare for the expected capacity demand. In addition, the proposed new performance indicators are considered partially inappropriate to assess the performance of ANSPs. While recognizing the need to develop better indicators, research should take place outside the performance regulation.
Overall, both States and ANSP representatives emphasized the importance of joint efforts to draft the common performance plan that materializes FABEC cooperation for the benefit of airspace users in one of the world's busiest airspace. "We are convinced that with our new strategy and working organization, FABEC can deliver best value to all stakeholders," concluded the French FABEC Presidency.
Since the signing of the FABEC Treaty in December 2010, FABEC has proven to be a working platform for enhanced cooperation between Member States, civil and military authorities, national supervisory authorities and air navigation service providers. Given the changes in the ATM world since then, FABEC ANSP cooperation has been reviewed in 2023 to work smarter, more focused, more efficiently, and to remain fit for purpose in the complex aviation environment. From the beginning of 2024, a new FABEC ANSP strategy, organisation and working arrangements have been put in place to respond to the identified challenges faced by ANSPs and to provide added value to their stakeholders and States. As part of the revised strategy, the Standing Committee on Environmentally Sustainable Operations (SC ESO) has been established to focus on the core business of ANSPs and provide important support to the Airspace Committee at State level. In addition, working groups and task forces can be established based on other identified needs or requirements.
On 1 June, Raimund Fridrich was appointed Head of the FABEC ANSP Office (FAO). He takes over from Francois-Xavier Prach, whom the FABEC CEO Board thanked for his 6 years
of service: "We would like to thank Monsieur Prach for his dedicated work for FABEC and for his reliable performance in his central and supportive role," said Johan Decuyper on behalf of FABEC.
