The European Commission (EC) has adopted a general approach on the proposed regulations that aim to ensure healthy competition between the EU and foreign airlines operating across the union.
The approach will offer a single procedure that will be applied to all types of aviation agreements, including comprehensive EU deal or bilateral air transport agreement.
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Presented by the EC in June last year, the proposal is part of the Aviation Strategy for Europe, offered by the commission in December 2015.
The proposal intends to guarantee improved air connectivity throughout the EU and establish procedures to investigate malpractices that hamper competition between EU and non-EU airlines and decide redressive measures.
It is expected to replace a current regulation that has several shortcomings and has never been used in practice.
Bulgarian Transport, Information Technology and Communications minister Ivaylo Moskovski said: “Air transport is a major driving force of the EU economy, enabling advanced technological innovations, more jobs and better connectivity for citizens, both inside the Union and with the rest of the world.
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By GlobalData“Once adopted, this instrument will provide the European aviation sector with a tool similar to those existing at international level in other areas of commercial activity.”
While aviation is a global industry, there is currently no international framework under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) governing competition among air carriers.
Most of the existing agreements signed between the EU or its member states with non-EU countries do not include fair competition rules.
