08/07/2020 (Agence Europe) – In a letter dated 3 July, the European Aerospace and Defence Association, ASD, urged Michel Barnier and the British David Frost, the two chief negotiators on Brexit, to reach an agreement before the end of the year. The organisation is requesting a customs exemption for civil aeronautics and products linked to the space and defence sectors in order to guarantee staff mobility in the sector. It warned against any divergence of legislation in the field of air safety and hopes that a fair framework for State Aid will be maintained. It also wants the United Kingdom to continue to comply with the REACH regulation, which provides a framework for chemical substances, and also expects that the United Kingdom will continue its contributions to European research programmes. Finally, it hopes for an ambitious partnership to be defined in the field of defence and security. (PH)