Brussels, 03/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The agreement reached in 2008 between the EU and the United States on cooperation in the regulation of civil aviation safety took effect on Sunday 1 May (see EUROPE 9538). The agreement means less cumbersome technical and administrative procedures for the recognition of certificates and approvals for aeronautical products on both sides of the Atlantic, thus allowing mutual recognition of certificates for design, production and maintenance in the aeronautics field. In a press release published the same day, the European Commission draws particular attention to the advantages that entry into force of the agreement will bring for transatlantic trade in aeronautical products and services. The value of this market was already over €17 billion in 2009 and 2010, the Commission points out. It also underlines that it is “ready to explore with the US how to expand the scope of the agreement rapidly into new areas such as flight crew licensing and aircraft operations”. (A.By./transl.jl)