Mediterranean countries make air traffic commitments

Malta has signed a declaration for the setting up of the Mediterranean Functional Airspace Block (FAB), geared to improve air traffic and in turn lower emissions and help airlines cut costs.

The Blue Med declaration was signed in Rome by Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta, with Albania, Egypt and Tunisia signing as participant states, and Jordan as an observer.

Transport Minister Austin Gatt, who signed for Malta, affirmed the island's commitment to move to the next step of the process, especially since the Blue Med project addresses emissions and cost-savings - the two major concerns in European aviation today.

He praised the Blue Med initiative as "an example of how action at an EU level can lead to tangible benefits to airline users".

The Transport Ministry said that under the Single European Sky legislation, EU countries were legally required to enter into a regional form of integrated management - FAB.

This block is based on operational requirements such as safety, capacity and cost. The ministry said this reflected the need to ensure more integrated management of airspace, regardless of existing national boundaries.

All the members of the Blue Med group yesterday gave their political commitment to the second part of the project, which will be finalised in 2010.

The third and final phase will see the creation of new FAB streamlining air traffic to the benefit of all users of aircraft.