The BLUE MED Feasibility Study, initiated by ENAV on 14^th December 2006, was carried out by a group of Mediterranean Air Navigation Service Providers, DCAC (Cyprus), HCAA (Greece) and MATS (Malta); moreover, OACA (Tunisia), NANSC (Egypt) and NATA (Albania) participated as associated partners and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Heshemite Kingdom of Jordan as observer, to jointly study the feasibility of implementing Functional Air Blocks (FAB) over the area, as required by the Single European Sky (SES) legislation.

Thanks to the financial support of the EU Trans-European Network Programme and the expert contribution of EUROCONTROL, the Research Centre of SICTA (Advanced Systems for Air Traffic Control, Italy), the Universities of Athens (Greece), Trieste and Venice (Italy) the BLUE MED Partners proceeded as of 2007 with the investigation of the most appropriate regional scenarios to serve the Operational Air Traffic Requirements in the region.

BLUE MED had a Pan-European vision and interacted with neighbouring initiatives.

In parallel, all aspects related to SES implementation were investigated, including technological human resource, safety and legal. BLUE MED focused on economic study surveys, high-level cost benefit analysis and environmental issues to satisfy the requirements of the various stakeholders and decision-makers, civil and military users, air navigation providers, industry and trade unions.

The BLUE MED Feasibility Study - concluded with the final Stakeholder Forum in Malta (26 June 2008) - will be followed by a detailed Definition Phase (2009-2011), so as to put the involved countries in a position to decide on final FAB implementation. BLUE MED will be implemented over the area from 2011 to 2012.

• "BLUE MED News" Issue 1 
• "BLUE MED News" Issue 2 
• "BLUE MED News" Issue 3