This latest move seems to conflict with what happened last week. Not quite sure what the position is now, but I am becoming increasingly fearful about this whole process. There needs to be political will on both sides to make it happen and I feel that, particularly on the US side, this isn't happening.
Unfortunately, the worst aspect is that this really only affects a handful of big EU countries (UK, France, possibly Germany) whose airlines might have a remote interest in buying into a US carrier. The other 22, whose airlines have no such interest, are being held back.
What is the way forward; it certainly looks as if no progress will occur before the US election. My immediate reaction would be that Open Skies would be available to all except CO, as they seem to have lobbied most fiercely against it! However, the ATW report suggests that there is a possibility that even next year, 2007, the Open Skies project could be stalled.
Ultimately, I think EU govts - particularly those without Open Skies agreements with the US, such as Ireland - are going to have to look to protect their own countries' positions.