The Summit discussed the rich opportunities in the EU and ASEAN aviation markets and the benefits which both the EU and ASEAN stand to achieve from greater market access and integration in air services and the aviation industry, cooperation to enhance the efficiency of air traffic management and harmonization of safety and security standards, amongst others.
In a Joint Declaration adopted yesterday in Singapore at the end of a successful two-day EU-ASEAN Aviation Summit, the European Commission and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) proposed to take aviation cooperation to a new level by negotiating a comprehensive air transport agreement between the EU and ASEAN.
The Summit brought together some 300 political and business leaders including a number of EU and ASEAN Transport Ministers. The Summit discussed the rich opportunities in the EU and ASEAN aviation markets and the benefits which both the EU and ASEAN stand to achieve from greater market access and integration in air services and the aviation industry, cooperation to enhance the efficiency of air traffic management and harmonization of safety and security standards, amongst others. In particular, the Summit noted these and more potential benefits that the peoples and companies of both regions could enjoy from a comprehensive air transport agreement between the EU and ASEAN.
“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. The Summit has created much new momentum for closer cooperation 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,” said Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas in charge of Transport.
The current Chairman of the ASEAN Transport Ministers, Mr Sommad Pholsena, Minister of Public Works and Transport of Lao PDR said: “While ASEAN and the EU already have much in common in aviation, including their commitment to establishing Single Aviation Markets in their respective regions, both sides stand to benefit significantly from even closer cooperation. Apart from allowing both sides to better capitalize on the opportunities in and the capabilities of each other, a bloc-to-bloc agreement would also facilitate further intra-ASEAN integration by allowing ASEAN to learn from the EU’s experience in developing a Single Aviation Market since the 1990s.”
In order to be in a position to negotiate an agreement with ASEAN, the Commission will need a negotiating mandate from the Council of Transport Ministers of the 28 EU Member States. At the EU-ASEAN Aviation Summit, Vice-President Kallas announced that he will propose to the European Commission to seek authorisation from the Council of the European Union at the earliest possible to start negotiations on an EU-ASEAN comprehensive air transport agreement. This announcement was welcomed by the ASEAN Transport Ministers.
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She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
