Vertical Separation
Between the surface and an altitude of 29,000 feet (8,800 m), no aircraft should come closer vertically than 300 metres (or 1,000 feet in those countries that express altitude in feet), unless some form of horizontal separation is provided. Above 29,000 feet (8,800 m), no aircraft shall come closer than 600 m (or 2,000 feet), except in airspace where Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) can be applied.
In areas where RVSM capabilities exist, 1,000 feet of vertical separation may be utilized up to FL410, and 2,000 between FL410 and FL600. 5,000 ft vertical separation must be applied to all aircraft above FL600, RVSM or not.
"MARSA" separation can be applied by military aircraft, which overrides all of these rules. Under MARSA conditions (Military Assumes Responsibility for Separating Aircraft), air traffic controllers protect only a block of airspace around multiple military aircraft. They are treated as one, and given only one data tag on the controller's scope.
Read more about this topic: Separation (air Traffic Control)
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