EESC Pushes EU-U.S. Air Transport Agreement
June 13, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion calling for the rapid conclusion of negotiations on an air transport agreement between the European Union (EU) and the U.S.
The opinion, adopted at a plenary session on June 11, calls for the total removal of ownership restrictions and discriminatory market practices, full regulatory EU-U.S. cooperation and abolition of excessive security procedures.
The EESC rapporteur Jacek Krawczyk (Employers Group, Poland) called upon both the EU and the U.S. to "step up their level of ambition" and to hammer out a comprehensive agreement.
This could provide the basis for a future global air traffic agreement that goes beyond current bilateral arrangements.
Roman Kramarik, Czech deputy minister of transport, called for the removal of existing barriers to a truly free air transport sector. He welcomed the EESC's opinion and input into the ongoing negotiations with the U.S.
The opinion spells out priorities for an EU-U.S. agreement, such as the removal of restrictions on ownership and control of airlines by EU and U.S. investors and the abolition of all discriminatory market practices - in particular, the "Fly America" program.
The EESC also called for the right of establishment to be amended to permit cross-border mergers, acquisitions and new entries into the market.
The EESC emphasized the importance of regulatory cooperation and convergence. It said excessive security measures should also be removed, as these create unnecessary difficulties for air travelers.
The EESC is also keeping an eye on the implications of a new agreement for labor-related issues and the environment. These areas should be closely monitored under cooperation mechanisms, such as the Transatlantic Economic Council.
The EESC welcomed the ground-breaking agreement on an Open Aviation Area, which the EU and Canada concluded earlier this year.
The EESC called upon the European Commission and the U.S. to use this text as a reference, which could lead to these new principles of openness replacing the 1944 Chicago Convention.
For more information, read the full text of the EESC's opinion.
Source:European Commission (EC).