Brussels, 06/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - Not much in the way of aviation decisions (apart from the European airline blacklist, see EUROPE 9082) was expected of the Transport Council of 5 December. The Council felt it was still too early to authorise the European Commission to launch talks on an air package with China, but ministers recognised the importance of starting preliminary talks with China, whose gradual opening up of its aviation market is an important economic move.
The Council said it was satisfied with progress in the last two rounds of talks with the United States on open transatlantic airspace (see EUROPE 9045 and 9071) and backed the Commission's efforts to ensure the final agreement is balanced and mutually beneficial. The last rounds of talks enabled the two sides to bring their legislation closer together in the field of 1) security. Measures required by one side for take-off from one of its airports and flying over its territory must be respected by the other side, but re-inspecting passengers and their baggage and aircraft during transfers will not necessarily be required if equivalent safety standards apply; 2) Safety. Better cooperation between EU Member States' domestic authorities and US Federal Aviation Administration; 3) Competition. Greater cooperation between European Commission's Directorate General for Competition and US Department of Transportation to avert potential conflict between US and EU competition rules; 4) State aid. The two sides agree to aid like capital injection, mixed subsidies, guarantees, share buy-outs and tax breaks and exemptions and may convene the joint committee established under the agreement in the event of disputes over aid; 4) Conflict settlement under the agreement. The two sides took special measures on Ireland and introduced a non-discrimination clause for computer reservation systems. Before any preliminary agreements, the EU wants talks on the revised ownership and control rules in the United States to be completed (scheduled for the end of January 2006) to verify the overall balance of the package. 'Until everything is agreed, there is no agreement,' said Alistair Darling, President of the Council.