10/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 7 July, the EU and Australia began negotiations with a view to concluding a comprehensive aviation agreement. The agreement will not only aim at mutual opening of European and Austrian aviation markets - after the fashion of the Open Skies agreement currently negotiated with the United States - but also at strengthening cooperation in the fields of safety, security and protection of the environment (see EUROPE 9682). The agreement will increase the “number of flights and the range of services at the most competitive prices between Australia and the EU. Such an outcome would benefit businesses, travellers and the Australian and EU aviation industries”, reads a joint statement published on Monday by Anthony Albanese, Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport. The Council gave the Commission a mandate for negotiating the agreement on 13 June. (A.By./transl.jl)