Brussels, 09/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - When meeting American Secretary of State for Transport, Michael P. Jackson on Thursday, the Commission's Director General for Transport, Francois Lamoureux pleaded in favour of the conclusion of a code of conduct between the EU and the United States so as to facilitate administrative co-operation on aid in the air transport sector. Mr. Lamoureux referred to European concerns at the impact of American aid on competition in the sector. "Contacts will continue with a view to finding the appropriate responses", is all a Commission press release states.
Francois Lamoureux also raised the problem of safety measures taken in airports and onboard aircraft, hoping that they would be "as coherent as possible". "In this regard, the plan under discussion in Washington warrants some concrn on the side of the European Commission" the press release remarks, stipulating that "it has been agreed that a group will be formed to follow the evolution of this dossier in a permanent fashion". "The EU shares the same objectives as the US in this area: therefore it should be possible to reinforce co-operation to ensure a convergent approach between work underway in Washington and Brussels", Loyola de Palacio declared in the press release.