The European Commission signed its first air services agreement on behalf of all European Union member states late last week, with similar bilaterals expected before the end of the year. The EC signed an air service agreement with Azerbaijan in the Azeri capital Baku, superseding all previous country-specific deals, where they contravene EC anti-competition rules on ownership. Similar agreements with Chile, Georgia and the Lebanon are awaiting formal signature and the EC hopes a growing list will put pressure on the USA to sign an open skies deal.
Source: Flight International
