EU REACHES AIR SERVICES ‘BREAKTHROUGH’ WITH CANADA, INKS ACCORDS WITH ARMENIA, ISRAEL
by Aaron Karp
ATWOnline
Dec 10 2008
MD
The EU yesterday announced a far-reaching air services agreement
with Canada that includes reciprocal investment and signed new air
services accords with Armenia and Israel.
A European Commission statement hailed "a breakthrough in the EU-Canada
negotiations. . .[that] both completes the transatlantic market
started with the EU-US first stage aviation agreement and goes well
beyond it." Under terms of the agreement expected to be signed soon,
all EU airlines will be able to operate direct flights to Canada from
anywhere in Europe and all restrictions on routes, prices or weekly
flight numbers between Canada and the EU will be eliminated.
"Other traffic rights will be liberalized gradually in parallel with
the opening up of investment opportunities," the EC said, adding, "EU
nationals will be able to establish operations in Canada and freely
invest in Canadian airlines and vice versa." VP and Commissioner
for Transport Antonio Tajani called the accord "groundbreaking in
the aviation world as the agreement includes all possible aspects
of aviation, including investment." Air Canada commented that it
will open "a realm of new commercial opportunities. . .in Canada’s
second-largest travel market after the US."
The agreement signed with Armenia will allow all European airlines
to fly between Armenia and any EU state. The pact signed with Israel
"will remove nationality restrictions. . .[allowing] any EU airline
to operate flights between any EU member state and Israel where
a bilateral agreement with Israel exists and traffic rights are
available," the EC said.