Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC November 18, 2005
U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement• The Agreement, if approved, would authorize every EU and every U.S. airline:
- to fly between every city in the European Union and every city in the United States;
- to operate without restrictions on the number of flights, the aircraft used, or the routes chosen, including unlimited rights to fly beyond the EU and U.S. to points in third countries;
- to set fares freely in accordance with market demand; and
- to enter into cooperative arrangements with other airlines, including codesharing and leasing.
• In the Agreement, both sides underscore their fundamental commitment to the highest standards of aviation safety and security. The Agreement provides for enhanced cooperation between European and American authorities in these vital fields.
• The Agreement also envisions consultations and cooperation between the European Union and the United States in the areas of competition law and policy, government subsidies and support, environment, and consumer protection. The Agreement will establish a Joint Committee to review implementation and resolve questions as well as to develop further cooperation between the two sides.
• The Agreement could be applied as early as late October 2006, the start of the IATA Winter Traffic Season.
• The Agreement represents a first stage of opening markets and enhancing cooperation. The European Union and the United States have agreed to begin a second stage of negotiations within sixty days of application of the Agreement.
2005/1086
Released on November 18, 2005
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