Open Aviation Area

Dycore · 16 mei 2007, 13:27

Na de moeizame Open Skies onderhandelingen is de EU tot een first stage agreement gekomen met de VS over de oprichting van een Open Aviation Area. Indien de verdere onderhandelingen in tot de verwachte second stage agreement leiden, dan kan de overeenkomst een succes genoemd worden. Transatlantische relaties zijn zich langzaam aan het herstellen. Bevoegdheden van de EU blijven zich langzaam uitbreiden, met of zonder nieuw verdrag.

OPEN SKIES: JACQUES BARROT IN WASHINGTON TO SIGN HISTORIC AVIATION DEAL AT THE EU-US TRANSATLANTIC SUMMIT

Jacques Barrot [on left, above], Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Transport, is in Washington today to sign the first-ever aviation treaty between the European Union and the United States, together with [EU Transport] Council President Wolfgang Tiefensee [on left, below], US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [on right, below] and US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters [on right, above].

Mr. Barrot said: "This agreement is both a centrepiece for today's reinvigorated transatlantic relationship and a big step forward in international aviation. By allowing new services to be launched from airports right across Europe, it will shake up both the transatlantic market and the European airline industry itself. Already, the European airline industry is feeling its effects in a positive way, with plans for new services and signs of a much more flexible and dynamic approach to airline investment among European carriers."

Vice President Barrot added: "This first-stage agreement is a central feature of today's EU-US Summit and a concrete example of EU-US cooperation. This agreement is the result of excellent teamwork and I would like to thank the United States, the German Presidency, all the EU Member States, the European Parliament and the industry for their constructive approach and contribution.

"Moreover, I welcome the firm commitment given today by Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to conclude a second-stage agreement as a matter of priority. We have more work to do in order to open our aviation markets wider, let capital flow more freely and intensify our cooperation on issues like security and the environment."

Building on the creation of the European internal aviation market – a success story for the EU – the EU-US aviation agreement lays solid foundations for a revolution in the international aviation industry that will see it treated as a "normal" global industry. This agreement is the most ambitious air services deal ever negotiated encompassing 60 percent of world traffic. It will serve as a blueprint in world aviation. It is a concrete and substantial move towards closer transatlantic relations and a major contribution to the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs.

EU-US Summit Leaders have stressed that this agreement will bring real benefits for the economies, consumers and airlines on both sides of the Atlantic and have reaffirmed their commitment to pursue, as a matter of priority, negotiations to conclude a second-stage agreement in order to achieve further liberalization.

The first ever EU-US aviation agreement, which will be signed today in Washington at the EU-US Transatlantic Summit, was initialed on March 2 in Brussels. It was welcomed by the European Parliament on March 14 and approved unanimously by the twenty-seven Transport Ministers on March 22. It will enter into force on March 30, 2008.

Among the benefits, the Agreement is predicted to bring billions of euros in economic benefits, millions of additional passengers and up to new 80,000 jobs over a five-year period.

The ultimate objective of the European Union is to create an Open Aviation Area: a single air transport market between the EU and the US in which investment can flow freely and in which European and US airlines can provide air services without any restriction, including access to the domestic markets of both parties. The EU negotiating mandate foresaw the possibility of a staged approach, provided that mechanisms are in place to ensure progression to subsequent stages. The agreement signed today contains a strong mechanism for the phase-two agreement within a strictly defined timescale and a list of priority items. The second-stage negotiations will start no later than May 30, 2008.

For further information please go to:

EU/US Summit: http://www.eurunion.org/partner/summit/20070430sum.htm

Open Skies hot topic: http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/OpenSkies.htm .

16 mei 2007, 13:27	#1
Dycore Banneling Geregistreerd: 16 januari 2007 Locatie: Mare Mortum Berichten: 5.231	Open Aviation Area Na de moeizame Open Skies onderhandelingen is de EU tot een first stage agreement gekomen met de VS over de oprichting van een Open Aviation Area. Indien de verdere onderhandelingen in tot de verwachte second stage agreement leiden, dan kan de overeenkomst een succes genoemd worden. Transatlantische relaties zijn zich langzaam aan het herstellen. Bevoegdheden van de EU blijven zich langzaam uitbreiden, met of zonder nieuw verdrag. OPEN SKIES: JACQUES BARROT IN WASHINGTON TO SIGN HISTORIC AVIATION DEAL AT THE EU-US TRANSATLANTIC SUMMIT Jacques Barrot [on left, above], Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Transport, is in Washington today to sign the first-ever aviation treaty between the European Union and the United States, together with [EU Transport] Council President Wolfgang Tiefensee [on left, below], US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [on right, below] and US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters [on right, above]. Mr. Barrot said: "This agreement is both a centrepiece for today's reinvigorated transatlantic relationship and a big step forward in international aviation. By allowing new services to be launched from airports right across Europe, it will shake up both the transatlantic market and the European airline industry itself. Already, the European airline industry is feeling its effects in a positive way, with plans for new services and signs of a much more flexible and dynamic approach to airline investment among European carriers." Vice President Barrot added: "This first-stage agreement is a central feature of today's EU-US Summit and a concrete example of EU-US cooperation. This agreement is the result of excellent teamwork and I would like to thank the United States, the German Presidency, all the EU Member States, the European Parliament and the industry for their constructive approach and contribution. "Moreover, I welcome the firm commitment given today by Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to conclude a second-stage agreement as a matter of priority. We have more work to do in order to open our aviation markets wider, let capital flow more freely and intensify our cooperation on issues like security and the environment." Building on the creation of the European internal aviation market – a success story for the EU – the EU-US aviation agreement lays solid foundations for a revolution in the international aviation industry that will see it treated as a "normal" global industry. This agreement is the most ambitious air services deal ever negotiated encompassing 60 percent of world traffic. It will serve as a blueprint in world aviation. It is a concrete and substantial move towards closer transatlantic relations and a major contribution to the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs. EU-US Summit Leaders have stressed that this agreement will bring real benefits for the economies, consumers and airlines on both sides of the Atlantic and have reaffirmed their commitment to pursue, as a matter of priority, negotiations to conclude a second-stage agreement in order to achieve further liberalization. The first ever EU-US aviation agreement, which will be signed today in Washington at the EU-US Transatlantic Summit, was initialed on March 2 in Brussels. It was welcomed by the European Parliament on March 14 and approved unanimously by the twenty-seven Transport Ministers on March 22. It will enter into force on March 30, 2008. Among the benefits, the Agreement is predicted to bring billions of euros in economic benefits, millions of additional passengers and up to new 80,000 jobs over a five-year period. The ultimate objective of the European Union is to create an Open Aviation Area: a single air transport market between the EU and the US in which investment can flow freely and in which European and US airlines can provide air services without any restriction, including access to the domestic markets of both parties. The EU negotiating mandate foresaw the possibility of a staged approach, provided that mechanisms are in place to ensure progression to subsequent stages. The agreement signed today contains a strong mechanism for the phase-two agreement within a strictly defined timescale and a list of priority items. The second-stage negotiations will start no later than May 30, 2008. For further information please go to: EU/US Summit: http://www.eurunion.org/partner/summit/20070430sum.htm Open Skies hot topic: http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/OpenSkies.htm .