With Europe increasingly dependent on external trade and actively seeking to boost investment, the strategic relevance of aviation for jobs and growth is all too obvious – given the unparalleled global connectivity it provides to citizens and businesses as well as communities across Europe.
BRUSSELS – The European Commission adopted its 2015 work programme, signalling clear political discontinuity and charting a new course for Europe. The Commission’s work programme is based on 23 new priority initiatives focused on jobs, growth and investment. Amongst these is a review of EU aviation policy – based on a Communication that will identify the challenges facing European aviation and proposing measures for improving its competitiveness.
ACI Europe fully supports this review and stands ready to assist the Commission in this exercise.
Over the past weeks, through formal representations and several meetings with high level Commission officials, ACI Europe had indeed called for a 360° review of aviation policy targeted at redressing the competitive gap between European aviation and other World regions. With Europe increasingly dependent on external trade and actively seeking to boost investment, the strategic relevance of aviation for jobs and growth is all too obvious – given the unparalleled global connectivity it provides to citizens and businesses as well as communities across Europe.
Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI Europe commented “This is a promising start and we applaud Transport Commissioner Bulc. Seeing aviation amongst the new EC priorities in the context of its jobs and growth agenda is very encouraging news. The crucial benefits of air connectivity cannot be taken for granted, and Europe clearly needs to up its game and do what other regions of the World have been doing: use aviation to underpin economic growth, boost its global positioning and competitiveness.”
He added “We have already made detailed proposals to the Commission, which we feel should be included in a new start for European aviation. This policy review cannot be about paying lip service to Europe’s airlines and airports. It will need a new and politically courageous approach – one that really considers the bigger picture of Europe’s place in the globalised world.”
Photo caption: Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI Europe.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
