Brussels, 07/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - After the assessment made at international level, the time has come for European airlines to publish economic data relating to the aviation sector. On Thursday 6 January, the Association of European Airlines (AEA) confirmed the sector was recovering after two years of unprecedented crisis. Losses recorded during the first half of 2010 (€1.7 billion) were made up during the second half of the year. At the end of 2010, the sector considers, profits amounted to around €500 million. AEA's main objective for 2011 will be to restore aviation competitiveness at global level, given that the rate of recovery is relatively slow compared to that of European companies in other regions of the world. To achieve this, the association, which groups the main airlines of Europe, calls for support from the European institutions. Its main demands are set out in a five-year strategic action plan (2010-2014) published by the AEA on Thursday. The association calls in particular for: - a) Promotion of aviation's critical role in Europe's future, mainly by ensuring its place in the EU's policy agenda. The AEA mainly insists on the importance of the European aviation platform recently set in place as a way to discuss how to achieve this objective. - b) Innovation for the benefit of customers, with the adaptation in particular of legislation on passengers' rights. - c) Contribution to better, smarter and more cost effective regulation, by ensuring in particular that any proposal of legislation is preceded by an impact assessment. The AEA would also like to achieve harmonisation of interpretation and implementation of the legislation among member states. - d) Accelerated progress towards a Single European Sky by establishing a European network manager with decision-making authority on the management of airspace, the reduction of delays and the duration of flights through better timetables and routes as well as securing public funding of SESAR. - e) Decarbonisation of aviation through a global mechanism. Airlines also call for support for introducing alternative fuel for aviation. - f) Conditions guaranteed for fair competition, by supporting efforts aimed at developing innovative technology. According to the airlines, 14% of the industry's turnover is currently intended for the funding of research and technological development for low carbon use. Airlines that are members of the AEA annually carry 340 million passengers and 5.5 million tonnes of goods. Some 11,200 flights are operated daily in Europe towards 630 destinations in 160 countries. (A.By./transl.jl)