Brussels, 16/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 November, the Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc and the President of Emirates Airlines, Tim Clark, held discussions focusing on aviation strategy and the substance of the European Commission's negotiating mandate.
The European Commission would like a link to be established between the “aviation” package (see EUROPE 11422), which is due to be presented at the beginning of December and obtaining a mandate for negotiating aviation agreements with third country partners, particularly those from Gulf countries. The mandate in question may possibly seek to expand the liberalisation of transport markets in the Union and Gulf countries. In this perspective, it is expected to tackle a number of regulatory questions on safety, security and fair trade. The modalities for the mandate will be finalised by the member states at the Council of the EU. Once this has been achieved, the mandate will effectively end all ongoing bilateral negotiations.
During her trip to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on 7-10 November, the Commissioner met the President and Director General of the Emirates Airlines group, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum. This visit to the Middle East and the meeting with the governments and leaders of the national airlines is very important to the European aviation sector. Gulf country airlines have regularly been criticised for unfair trade practices, for benefiting from state subsidies, as well as tax, social and environmental dumping.
Nonetheless, one source close to the dossier pointed out that “Cooperation between the EU and the Gulf has benefited the two parties” and added that the Emirates now accounted for around half of all orders for Airbus A380s. This same source explained “this is why it is necessary to have a comprehensive agreement in the field of aviation transport between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)”. This source explained that this was still indeed the case, even though the option of negotiating with each of the different Gulf countries instead of the GCC, still appeared to be the favoured route for negotiations.
The Commission would also like to enhance cooperation between the two blocs in the railway, maritime and urban sectors. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)