akerosid
5th Aug 2006, 18:42
I know there has been a thread about this previously, but I couldn't find it.
I received correspondence from the EU Commission today, in response to an inquiry about the current state of EU/US negotiations.
Basically, the 12th October is the big day. That's when the EU Transport Council - the 25 EU Transport ministers - will vote on the proposals submitted by the US DOT relating to the foreign ownership and management of US carriers. If they like what they see, we have "all systems go" for the EU/US Open Skies; if not, we have problems. I'm not sure how the voting will work; is it qualified majority or one for each country. As far as I'm aware, only a very few countries - Britain and Germany among them - actually have airlines which might be interested in buying into US carriers. If they don't like what's being put forward, might their objections be overruled by the votes of other countries?
Ireland has a special arrangement negotiated with the US, which is effectively a phased withdrawal of our dear old stopover (how I'll miss it :{ ) from November 2006 until Summer 2008. If the deal does not go through, Ireland can seek EU approval - and its at their discretion - to negotiate a special arrangement with the US (which I'm assuming would be along the lines of the deal already reached); the EU could put a spanner in the works if it felt that such a deal might undermine EU/US talks.
There's also the danger that US airlines, led by CO, along with certain members of the US Congress, might take legal action to scupper the deal. :ugh:
For the moment, however, all hopes rest on the 12th October ...
I received correspondence from the EU Commission today, in response to an inquiry about the current state of EU/US negotiations.
Basically, the 12th October is the big day. That's when the EU Transport Council - the 25 EU Transport ministers - will vote on the proposals submitted by the US DOT relating to the foreign ownership and management of US carriers. If they like what they see, we have "all systems go" for the EU/US Open Skies; if not, we have problems. I'm not sure how the voting will work; is it qualified majority or one for each country. As far as I'm aware, only a very few countries - Britain and Germany among them - actually have airlines which might be interested in buying into US carriers. If they don't like what's being put forward, might their objections be overruled by the votes of other countries?
Ireland has a special arrangement negotiated with the US, which is effectively a phased withdrawal of our dear old stopover (how I'll miss it :{ ) from November 2006 until Summer 2008. If the deal does not go through, Ireland can seek EU approval - and its at their discretion - to negotiate a special arrangement with the US (which I'm assuming would be along the lines of the deal already reached); the EU could put a spanner in the works if it felt that such a deal might undermine EU/US talks.
There's also the danger that US airlines, led by CO, along with certain members of the US Congress, might take legal action to scupper the deal. :ugh:
For the moment, however, all hopes rest on the 12th October ...