For Hungary the agreement on the establishment of a single Central European functional airspace block was signed by Deputy State Secretary for European Union and International Affairs Tamás Iván Kovács on 5 May 2011 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The participants of the Functional Airspace Block Central Europe (FAB CE) include Hungary, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The agreement is aimed at the creation of the legal and institutional background of the airspace block.

In his welcome address, Tamás Iván Kovács emphasised: “Due to the geographical location of the region, the creation of the Functional Airspace Block Central Europe may represent a key momentum in the successful implementation of the Single European Sky. For this reason the fact that the FAB of numerous members established by seven states has reached the point of officially combining their airspaces is an outcome that points beyond the region.”

Following approval the agreement and laying down the legislative basis, the next task is the elaboration of the practical details of co-operation. In order to implement, operate and improve the provisions of the document, a joint decision-making body, the FAB CE Council was formed of the delegates of the Contracting States and the appointed air traffic service providers of the airspace.

The organisation of the European airspace into nine major regional units beyond the current system adjusted to national borders is a key element in the creation of the Single European Sky, the most important effort made by the European Union in the field of aviation. The functional airspace blocks will bring us closer to the solution of the capacity problems seen in the European airspace. They allow a more economic and environment-friendly operation, along with maintaining and even improving the high level of aviation safety. Once the functional airspace blocks have been set up, planes will travel along the shortest roots and thus the operating costs will be cut. In addition to economy and speed, a more reasonably organised air traffic will also result in the reduction of emission and noise. The most significant changes are expected in the management of air traffic, as the organisation of functional airspace blocks will allow closer co-ordination.

Tamás Iván Kovács pointed out that the Hungarian Presidency assigned high priority to the Single European Sky and the functional airspace blocks among its duties already in the first six months of the year. In early March 2011, the Presidency organised a high-level conference on this issue. The event was concluded by the adoption of the Budapest Charter, which specifies action points, among others, for the Member States, the functional airspace blocks, national supervisory authorities and air navigations service providers. “Hungary is ready to make all efforts in the next more than eighteen months to have the FAB CE ready by 4 December 2012, the deadline set in the directive”, Mr Kovács added.

In addition to the intergovernmental agreement, the heads of the air traffic service providers in the participating countries also signed an agreement for the practical implementation of the regional cooperation.

“The simultaneous conclusion of agreements by governments and service providers expresses their shared intention and firm commitment to implement the Central European functional airspace block. The agreement concluded by the region’s air traffic services will set up a leadership for the FAB CE and establish its decision-making system, thus giving the green light to proactive joint work”, said the Kornél Szepessy, general manager of HungaroControl Zrt. “The first and unavoidable step in the joint project to improve regional performance. From today on, the process may gather pace and result in the achievement of our shared goal. After 2013, FAB CE may be one of Europe’s best known functional airspace blocks.”

Hungary has set the clear objective of ensuring Hungarian air traffic management a well-deserved role in the Central European airspace. HungaroControl Zrt. may be suitable for assuming the central provision of several services within the airspace block.

(Ministry of National Development , Department of Communication)