Brussels, 23/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - At the joint EU-India Aviation Summit held in New Delhi on 22 November 2006, Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot and India's Minister for Civil Aviation Mr. Praful Patel signed a "Joint Declaration" that will lay the foundation for closer cooperation between the EU and India in a range of areas of civil aviation. At the beginning of 2007 the two parties will begin negotiations to conclude a horizontal agreement between them in view of making the bilateral aviation agreements between India and several Member States conform with Community law. The two parties will then intensify cooperation in areas such as aviation safety, security, air traffic management, environmental policy, economic regulation and industrial co-operation in view of concluding a global aviation agreement.