Representatives of the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed in principle to start negotiations on a comprehensive open-skies deal, following a two-day summit in Singapore.
The summit’s attendees – who attended ministers from a number of EU and ASEAN nations, and senior advisors – discussed the opportunities an open-skies agreement would create. The parties also discussed potential for co-operation in areas of air traffic management and for harmonisation of safety standards.
European Commission vice-president in charge of transport Siim Kallas says the EU will now seek a negotiating mandate with its 28 member states “at the earliest possible” to start negotiations on a new agreement.
“If Europe works together with ASEAN to the fullest extent, we can extend the proven benefits of our respective single aviation markets to a much larger inter-regional one,” says Kallas. “The summit has created much new momentum for a closer co-operation and made a convincing case for embarking on what could be a first aviation agreement in the world between two important blocs of countries like the EU and ASEAN.”
ASEAN already has a multilateral air transport agreement with China. This entered into force in 2011. The association has also engaged in negotiations for similar agreements with Japan and South Korea.
A single aviation market being developed by ASEAN is scheduled to start operating in 2015. However, opposition from some countries including Indonesia and the Philippines could cause it to be delayed.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
