Brussels, 18/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - In adopting the report from Belgian Socialist Saïd El Khadraoui, the European Parliament gave support to the European Commission in its desire to make progress on the EU external policy for aviation. Parliament also adopted the report by Roberts Zile (UEN, Latvia) on the Commission's request for a mandate to negotiate overall air agreements with China and Russia. Parliament shares Commissioner Barrot's opinion (see EUROPE 9111) that Moscow first has to abolish charges imposed on European airline companies for flying over Siberia, if it wants to reach an air agreement with the EU. In the course of the debate prior to the vote, Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot gave assurances that the Commission was “determined” to put an end to this tax. He also said that an agreement with Australia, Ukraine, China and India were among the EU's priorities for 2006.
In its report on the EU external policy for aviation, Parliament stressed that a coherent policy had to be put in place, allying market opening and statutory convergence. Parliament considered that future air agreements, which must be balanced in terms of market access, could include such issues as cabotage, rights of establishment, property and controls, competition rules and State aid, but only on a strictly reciprocal basis. When the Commission selects candidates, priority must be given to countries of substantial importance for the European market, such as the United States, Russia and China, as well as countries situated close to Europe. Additionally, Parliament considered that these agreements should contain references to international laws on social rights and to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and EU security regulations. The Commission was requested to present “best practice” to monitor third country aircraft safety by the end of 2006 and also a proposal to extend the responsibilities of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). However, Parliament rejected a Greens/EFA amendment calling on the Commission to put in place an energy tax and tariff measures in the aviation sector.
In its report on EU relations with Russia and China, Parliament insisted that no global agreement with Russia would be reached “without the immediate and complete abolition of Russian overflight charges”. Neither did Parliament want a modified version of charges to replace the current scheme. It also asked the Commission not to conclude an agreement on Russia's membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) while Russia continued to make these charges. With regard to a future air service agreement with China, MEPs called on the Council to extend the scope of the Commission's negotiating mandate on putting in place the necessary infrastructure in Chinese airports and air traffic control over Chinese airspace, both of which are inadequate at present.