24/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - The investigation carried out by the Commission on suspected restrictive practices which are against European competition rules (article 81) of the Sky Team alliance is a "good example of the need for effective mechanisms for cooperation between the Commission and the American Department of State for Transport", said Neelie Kroes on Monday, in a speech to the International Institute of Air and Space Law of Leiden, in the Netherlands. With the investigation into Sky Team, a commercial alliance between, amongst others, Air France-KLM, Alitalia and Delta Airlines, "the Commission is, for the first time, examining the full impact of a global alliance of airlines on competition", added the Commissioner for Competition.