By Duncan Lumsden - 29th March 2004
EU capitals will be allowed to negotiate new 'Open Skies' shared airspace deals with non-European carriers, but will have to stick to strict EU guidelines.
Under proposals agreed on Tuesday in Strasbourg, MEPs ensured governments kept the right to negotiate themselves, in the face of European Commission proposals to have the power to broker deals shifted wholesale to Brussels.
But in exchange for keeping their hands on the reins, governments will have to make sure they avoid favouring national carriers - an aspect of previous such Open Skies deals with the US in particular, which the EU courts found illegal in November 2002.
Ongoing contacts behind the scenes between the European Parliament and EU government representatives have ensured that the plans adopted on Tuesday should only need a formal rubber-stamping by capitals, without any further changes.
In parallel this week commission negotiators are locked in talks with Washington officials to try and formulate a new overarching EU open skies deal with the US. This centralised effort aims to replace the patchwork of now illegal bilateral deals struck during the 1990s between eight EU capitals and the US.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.