Brussels, 28/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - European Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio informed European transport ministers in camera on Tuesday of the state of progress in negotiations with the United States concerning the ban on aircraft fitted with noise muffling kits, hushkits. She insisted on the fact that dialogue has not been broken off but, failing an agreement, the European regulation on the ban should come into force as planned on 4 May this year. It may, however, only be partially implemented. As indicated in yesterday's EUROPE, only the European airline companies will no longer be able to register new hushkitted aircraft in May, while the aspects of the regulation affecting aircraft registered in third countries would be suspended. In exchange, the United States would suspend the complaint filed with the Civil Aviation Organisation against the EU, and the two parties would adopt a joint declaration of cooperation for the adoption of new standards on noise at the ICAO, on the model agreed several weeks ago between the European Commission and the American Administration. The Council adopted conclusions along these lines.
After his meeting with Ms de Palacio, US Transport Secretary Rodney Slater met on Tuesday with representatives of the transport and environment committees of the European Parliament, which has power of co-decision in this sector. He spoke in a conciliatory manner to MEPs, hinting that the United States is willing to move towards compromise and insisting on the common Euro-American interests in air transport.
MEPs confirmed that, in their view, indefinite suspension of the European regulation is unacceptable and that the American procedure against the EU at the International Civil Aviation Organisation is quite counter-productive. The draft resolution to be presented on Wednesday in EP plenary affirms that the indispensable condition for the EP to foresee suspension of the total ban on hushkitted aircraft for foreign companies is that the United States should commit itself in writing to supporting the adoption of more binding norms at the ICAO.
Speaking to the press, Rodney Slater declared that the United States is not willing to sign "just any document" and that, generally speaking, one must have confidence in people and that a written statement is not necessary. He hoped a solution that respects the ICAO process for establishing norms might be found, and felt that the dispute settlements procedure at the ICAO is an element of the process.