by NEFAB Council
The Council adopted the NEFAB Strategy and addressed other important issues regarding the further development of the NEFAB cooperation in the years to come.
The Council meeting was attended by representatives from Ministries of Transport from the four participating States: Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Norway and Ministries of Defence from Finland and Norway. Chairs of NEFAB Committees and Chairs of the governing bodies of the air navigation service providers also took part in the meeting.
The main topic of discussion was the NEFAB strategy plan presented for Council adoption.The purpose of the strategy is to express the vision and strategic objectives of the NEFAB cooperation from the perspective of the participating States. The perspective of the strategy is long term – beyond the second reference period of the EU Performance Scheme (2019). However, the realization of this strategy will be incremental – some elements are supposed to be implemented within a relatively short timeframe and others within a much longer timeframe, towards the end of the third reference period (2025).
Council adopted the NEFAB Strategy and decided that the first implementation plan should be developed by the Financial and Performance Committee. The air navigation service providers and national supervisory authorities will be requested to contribute. Also airspace users and staff associations will be involved in the process. It should be adopted by the Council not later than the end of 2015.
The continued cooperation with Denmark and Sweden was another key issue at the meeting. The council underlined the importance of establishing the joint Free Route Airspace by November 2015 as planned, as well as establishing “phase 2” of the Free Route Airspace concept by end of 2017.
The NEFAB Air Navigation Services Consultative Board (ANSCB) took place in conjunction with the NEFAB Council meeting. The meeting was attended by representatives of the ministries and national supervisory authorities concerned in the NEFAB States, as well as national service providers, airspace users and staff associations. The parties attending the meeting exchanged views on the NEFAB cooperation and the future plans, including the NEFAB strategy.
Next year Finland will chair the NEFAB Council.
The next meeting of the NEFAB Council is tentatively scheduled for 21 May 2015.
