News Release
Loyola de Palacio
No. 80/04
May 17, 2004
EU/US AVIATION
NEGOTIATIONS GO AHEAD
Delegations representing the European Union
and the United States met for the fifth round of civil aviation negotiations in
Washington, DC, from 10 to 13 May 2004 . The talks are aimed at reaching a comprehensive
agreement that would liberalize the aviation market between the United States
and the European Union.
Complementing the discussions this week were meetings
at the political level held by
Loyola de Palacio, Vice-President of the
European Commission, with Norman Mineta, US Secretary of Transportation, and
with Richard Armitage, US Deputy Secretary of State. Together these political
level meetings and the negotiations have given a new impetus to the shared goal
of reaching a comprehensive first stage air transport agreement by the EU/US
Summit on 26 June.
The delegations have now reached agreement on nearly
all of the issues that will be covered by this Agreement, and most of the text
is either agreed or close to final agreement.
The issues that remain open and which will be pursued
in further negotiations relate to the presentation of the Agreement, given its
complexity in institutional terms, and to certain aspects of its content. The
points of substance that remain are market access, including beyond rights, leasing
and the commitment to a second stage of liberalization with fixed start and end
dates.
On market access the discussions refined and focused
the issues at stake. While an agreement including cabotage rights is not possible
for the US at this time, it is examining options within its existing legislative
framework for providing enhanced commercial opportunities in the US market for
EU airlines. The EU side is awaiting proposals from the US on market access and
leasing that will enable it to make an evaluation of these opportunities in economic
terms.
The two delegations will continue informal discussions
leading up to the meeting of the EU
Council of Transport Ministers on 10 June.
Airline, airport and labor representatives attended
this round of negotiations.
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Press Contacts:
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Anthony Gooch
202-862-9523
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Maeve O'Beirne
202-862-9549
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