Safeguarding competition in air transport - the Council adopts its position

The Council today adopted a general approach on the proposed rules for safeguarding competition in air transport. The proposal aims to ensure fair competition between EU and foreign air carriers operating in the EU. At the same time it seeks to maintain conditions conducive to a high level of connectivity throughout the EU. More concretely, it sets out procedures for investigating cases of practices distorting competition between EU and non-EU airlines and for deciding on redressive measures.

"Air transport is a major driving force of the EU economy, enabling advanced technological innovations, more jobs and better connectivity for citizens, both inside the Union and with the rest of the world. Once adopted, this instrument will provide the European aviation sector with a tool similar to those existing at international level in other areas of commercial activity."

Ivaylo Moskovski, Bulgarian Minister for Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The proposed regulation will replace an existing one which has several shortcomings and which has never been used in practice. While aviation is a global industry, there is currently no international framework under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) governing competition among air carriers.

Read the full press release here.

Visit the meeting the page on the website of the Council of the European Union.