The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Paolo COSTA (ALDE, IT), and approved conclusion of the agreement.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Paolo COSTA (ALDE, IT), and approved conclusion of the agreement.

The committee adopted the report by its chairman, Paolo COSTA (ALDE, IT), approving the conclusion of the agreement under the consultation procedure.

PURPOSE: to sign and conclude the Agreement between the European Community and Bulgaria on certain aspects of air services.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decisions.

CONTENT: international aviation relations between Member States and third countries have been traditionally governed by bilateral air services agreements between Member States and third countries, their Annexes and other related bilateral or multilateral arrangements.

The Community has exclusive competence with respect to various aspects of external aviation. The Court of Justice also clarified the right of Community air carriers to benefit from the right of establishment within the Community, including the right to non-discriminatory market access.

Traditional designation clauses in Member States’ bilateral air services agreements infringe Community law. They allow a third country to reject, withdraw or suspend the permissions or authorisations of an air carrier that has been designated by a Member State but that is not substantially owned and effectively controlled by that Member State or its nationals. This has been found to constitute discrimination against Community carriers established in the territory of a Member State but owned and controlled by nationals of other Member States. This is contrary to Article 43 of the Treaty which guarantees nationals of Member States who have exercised their freedom of establishment the same treatment in the host Member State as that accorded to nationals of that Member State.

The Council authorised the Commission in June 2003 to open negotiations with third countries on the replacement of certain provisions in existing bilateral agreements with a Community agreement.

In accordance with the mechanisms and directives in the Annex to the Council’s decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations with third countries on the replacement of certain provisions in existing bilateral agreements with a Community agreement, the Commission has negotiated an agreement with Bulgaria that replaces certain provisions in the existing bilateral air services agreements between Member States and this country. Article 2 of the Agreement replaces the traditional designation clauses with a Community designation clause, permitting all Community carriers to benefit from the right of establishment. Articles 4 and 5 of the Agreement address two types of clauses concerning matters of Community competence. Article 4 deals with the taxation of aviation fuel, a matter which has been harmonised by Council Directive 2003/96/EC restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity, particularly Article 14 paragraph 2 thereof. Article 5 (Pricing) resolves conflicts between the existing bilateral air services agreements and Council Regulation 2409/92/EC on fares and rates for air services which prohibits third country carriers from being price leaders on air services for carriage wholly within the Community.

PURPOSE: to sign and conclude the Agreement between the European Community and Bulgaria on certain aspects of air services.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decisions.

CONTENT: international aviation relations between Member States and third countries have been traditionally governed by bilateral air services agreements between Member States and third countries, their Annexes and other related bilateral or multilateral arrangements.

The Community has exclusive competence with respect to various aspects of external aviation. The Court of Justice also clarified the right of Community air carriers to benefit from the right of establishment within the Community, including the right to non-discriminatory market access.

Traditional designation clauses in Member States’ bilateral air services agreements infringe Community law. They allow a third country to reject, withdraw or suspend the permissions or authorisations of an air carrier that has been designated by a Member State but that is not substantially owned and effectively controlled by that Member State or its nationals. This has been found to constitute discrimination against Community carriers established in the territory of a Member State but owned and controlled by nationals of other Member States. This is contrary to Article 43 of the Treaty which guarantees nationals of Member States who have exercised their freedom of establishment the same treatment in the host Member State as that accorded to nationals of that Member State.

The Council authorised the Commission in June 2003 to open negotiations with third countries on the replacement of certain provisions in existing bilateral agreements with a Community agreement.

In accordance with the mechanisms and directives in the Annex to the Council’s decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations with third countries on the replacement of certain provisions in existing bilateral agreements with a Community agreement, the Commission has negotiated an agreement with Bulgaria that replaces certain provisions in the existing bilateral air services agreements between Member States and this country. Article 2 of the Agreement replaces the traditional designation clauses with a Community designation clause, permitting all Community carriers to benefit from the right of establishment. Articles 4 and 5 of the Agreement address two types of clauses concerning matters of Community competence. Article 4 deals with the taxation of aviation fuel, a matter which has been harmonised by Council Directive 2003/96/EC restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity, particularly Article 14 paragraph 2 thereof. Article 5 (Pricing) resolves conflicts between the existing bilateral air services agreements and Council Regulation 2409/92/EC on fares and rates for air services which prohibits third country carriers from being price leaders on air services for carriage wholly within the Community.