Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-03-13-Speech-2-074"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070313.7.2-074"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Madam President, I should like sincerely to thank the MEPs and all the speakers for their support and their extremely valuable contribution to this important debate. There is no doubt that we are on the verge of concluding an historic agreement where transatlantic relations are concerned, historic, too, in terms of moving aviation forward in the world and – as has been pointed out – of making air transport democratic and putting it within the reach of as many people as possible.
Madam President, you asked me to be brief. I should therefore like to apologise to the speakers to whom I have not had time to respond clearly. I should like to thank all of the speakers and also to say to those MEPs who belong to Member States that are not covered by the ‘open skies’ agreements, and particularly to the Irish Members who spoke, that the will exists on our side to extend the benefits of this liberalisation of transatlantic air transport to all of the Member States.
Mrs De Veyrac and other speakers stressed that all of this is the fruit of extensive efforts. I should like to take this opportunity to remember Mrs Loyola de Palacio, who also did a great deal of work on this first stage, which I feel is important for the future of Europe and of transatlantic relations, for the economy and for employment.
I shall not go back over the benefits of the agreement, which have been emphasised by, among others, Mr Jarzembowski and Mr El Khadraoui, to whom I am particularly grateful for his initiative. Access for airlines from any European country to any location in the United States, without discrimination on nationality grounds, is one of the very important benefits. That, above all, will enable us, Mr Costa, to resolve certain legal problems that emerged in the wake of the open skies judgments. Another huge benefit for consumers is the fact that they have more choice at better prices. Furthermore, we are opening up to 60% of the world’s traffic.
We ought not to forget that a joint committee exists that will play a key role with regard to applying the agreement, to debating social issues, to addressing the issues of ownership and control, to competition, to aid and to environmental issues.
Some of you raised the problem of security, not least Mrs Hennis-Plasschaert. This agreement contains provisions that are crucial in terms of facilitating the controls on both sides of the Atlantic and of eventually having equivalent systems that will allow us to move in the direction of a single form of security control, or ‘one stop security’.
With regard to environmental aspects, I should like specifically to address Mrs Lichtenberger in order to tell her that she is right. We intend precisely to cooperate far more effectively with the Federal Aviation Administration. On this subject, we are going to review the way in which we operate flights over the Atlantic with the aim of reducing their flight paths. We are also going to research solutions enabling us to use fuel efficiently and to reduce emissions. There is therefore an entire environmental section there.
A number of you raised the problem of cabotage, not least Mr Kohlíček. The option of operating cabotage services in the United States is much debated; we will not have that option to start with. Nor will cabotage be permitted for US airlines: thus, a US airline is not permitted to transport passengers or cargo between Frankfurt and Berlin.
Mrs Sinnott, the agreement will also benefit regional airports by opening up new opportunities with the elimination of the existing restrictions. Mr Rack and several of you emphasised security problems. The United States has acknowledged the importance of working on common practices and standards in order to reduce as far as possible the differences between the European Union and the United States on these issues, and it will take account of the measures that have already been applied within the European Union.
Mr Simpson, the transatlantic area will clearly not be built in one go. We are, in fact, talking here about a first stage, but one that has already established a very strong link with the second stage: Europe will be able to suspend Americans’ access rights if they drag their feet and if no progress is made. We therefore have the means to act in order to guarantee that there really will be a second stage towards our ultimate aim.
I should like to say to Mr Kirkhope that, since the United States has not yet agreed to change its 25% rule, we have retained the option of limiting its investment in European airlines at the same level. This is one way of restoring the balance."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples