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EU-U.S. Open Skies: A New Era in Transatlantic Aviation Starts on Sunday
WASHINGTON-(Business Wire)-March 28, 2008 - The new EU-U.S. Air Transport Agreement will take effect on Sunday, March 30. For the first time, European airlines can fly without restrictions from any point in the EU to any point in the United States. "This marks the start of a new era in transatlantic aviation," said Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Transports. "This Agreement will bring more competition and cheaper flights to the U.S." This agreement is the most ambitious air services deal ever negotiated. The two biggest aviation markets, encompassing 60 percent of world traffic, will cooperate closer in all fields of aviation policy. In May 2008, the European Commission will engage in second-stage negotiations with the U.S. "A fully Open Aviation Area between the EU and the U.S. must remain our objective," added Vice-President Barrot.
All EU airlines are now able to operate direct flights to the U.S. from anywhere in Europe and not just from their home country. The Agreement removes all restrictions on routes, prices, or the number of weekly flights. Many airlines will increase the number of flights and destinations on Sunday. Flights between London-Heathrow and the U.S., for example, will increase about 20 percent compared to April 2007.
With about 50 million annual passengers between the EU and the U.S., the agreement covers by far the biggest international air transport market. The removal of all market access restrictions will stimulate competition. Prices for transatlantic flights are expected to fall. The benefits for consumers could reach up to 12 billion euros over the first five years. The Agreement could lead to the creation of 80 000 jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.
For the first time, this agreement establishes closer cooperation between the EU and the U.S. to tackle new challenges, such as security or the environment. This will facilitate the operations for airlines and airports and reduce hassle for passengers.
This cooperation is already delivering tangible results for example in the field of environment: The Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) is a joint project to reduce the environmental impact of transatlantic flights. Greener transatlantic flights will reduce emissions per flight.
Building on the success of the European internal aviation market, this agreement is an important first step towards the normalization of the international aviation industry. The ultimate objective of the European Union is to create a transatlantic Open Aviation Area: a single air transport market between the EU and the U.S. with free flows of investment and no restrictions on air services, including access to the domestic markets of both parties. Therefore, the agreement taking effect on March 30 contains a strong mechanism for second-stage negotiations with a clear timetable, starting already in mid-May 2008.
The Agreement was signed on April 30, 2007 at the EU-U.S. Transatlantic Summit in Washington. It replaces 21 bilateral agreements between Member States and the United States with their nationality restrictions. Until now, EU airlines could not operate flights to the U.S. from outside their home country.
For further information, please visit: http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/OpenSkies.htm
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