Strasbourg, 31/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - Adopting the Ingo Schmitt recommendation on Tuesday, the EP approved the Council common position on the regulation concerning the negotiation and implementation of agreements for air services between Member States and third countries (codecision, second reading). The regulation (one of the initiatives taken by the European Commission after the Court of Justice's ruling decreeing that Open Sky agreements between eight Member States and the United States were illegal) defines the procedure with which Member States must comply if they wish to conclude air agreements with third countries. The Parliament considers the Council common position meets its main requirement - respect of the principle of subsidiarity. Member States maintain the right to conclude bilateral agreements with third countries on condition that "Community-type clauses" are included (for example, airline companies concerned must hold a license in accordance to Community law). The Commission, for its part, keeps the right to block agreements that do not contain such clauses.