Brussels, 22/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - Following commitments made at the EU/Canada summit in Berlin at the beginning of June (EUROPE 9439), Canadian media reports have indicated that the Commission vice president in charge of transport, Jacques Barrot, and his Canadian counterpart, transport minister, Lawrence Cannon, met on 20 June in Ottawa, to discuss joint transport initiatives. These initiatives focus on the continuation of cooperation in air security and the opening up of negotiations for the conclusion of an “open skies” air agreement, which according to Mr Barrot, could be “finalised next year”.
Two major projects are now awaiting the Canadians and Commission. The conclusion of an agreement that will reciprocally open up the aviation markets, and harmonise relations in this area between the EU and Canada - relations that until now have been characterised by bilateral agreements. Earlier in the day, Barrot said that he hoped that this agreement could go further than the similar agreement obtained with the USA, particularly in the area of cabotage (opportunities for European companies to operate flights on the internal routes of other countries). The negotiations brief the Commission requested from the Council on 9 January is expected to be approved during the Transport Council on 1 October 2007. This would allow for negotiations to begin. Currently Canada has signed bilateral agreements with 18 of the 27 member states.
The second question pending hinges on airline security. In April, the two parties reached an agreement on technical security (this includes mutual recognition of aeronautical technical products), which laid the foundation stones for what could later become a broader agreement on airline security. (aby)