The AEFMP boosts cooperation to a new level

The AEFMP,⁽¹⁾ composed by the air navigation service providers of Algeria, Spain, France, Morocco and Portugal and supported by its respective Civil Aviation Authorities, have in person ratified this afternoon, during the World ATM Congress in Madrid and in the presence of representatives of the European Commission, the renewed Memorandum of Understanding with updated leading principles and reinforced cooperation arrangements to face next coming ATM (Air Traffic Management) developments stemming from the SES (Single European Sky) framework evolution and collaboration among the Aviation Community of neighbouring countries which the AEFMP has been working since its foundation back in 1990.

With this agreement the Members go a step further in their commitment to work together to facilitate the optimum use of the airspace while keeping the highest levels of quality and safety through the harmonisation of air traffic services provision, optimisation of the provision of surveillance and radio services, improvement of voice communication between neighbouring ATC (Air Traffic Control) units, a more efficient ATM and Communication network allowing data exchange between the respective systems, harmonisation of the development and implementation of the several technical components of ATC and the improvement of ATM by an airspace optimisation and definition of common procedures, in line with the last regulatory and technical developments.

Several noteworthy achievements have been achieved through this long-lasting cooperation:
• Free Route within the AEFMP Area (Portugal, Spain and France)
• Operational Implementation of TDM and migration to IP Services (Portugal, Spain and Morocco)
• Interconnections of IP networks (France, Portugal, and Spain)
• Implementation of operational FMTP and AMHS services (Portugal and Spain. France is under a pre operational phase)

⁽¹⁾ The AEFMP presently composed by Algeria, Spain, France, Morocco and Portugal was created in 1990 , initially by Spain, France and Portugal (designated as EFP) with the objective of optimizing, harmonizing and integrating their Air Navigation Systems in the wake of the principles established in the EUROCONTROL EATCHIP Programme. In 1996, the EFP decided to include Algeria and Morocco in order to optimize the main traffic flows in the area through coordination and ATS systems interoperability improvement with these two States and established the AEFMP Plan.  Finally, in October 2002, both plans converged in the Joint AEFMP Plan.