Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2006
514 Ms Harkin asked the Minister for Transport if he raised the matter of a bilateral aviation treaty between Ireland and the US with his counterparts at the recent meeting of EU Ministers; if the matter was not raised, the reason for same; and if the matter was raised, the response from his counterparts. [33877/06]
View answer515 Ms Harkin asked the Minister for Transport if he is currently in discussions with his US counterparts on the matter of a bilateral aviation treaty between Ireland and the US; and if so, the progress made in these negotiations. [33878/06]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 515 together.
I can confirm that the EU US Open Skies deal was discussed at the Transport Council on 12 October 2006. The Council underlined the importance it attaches to the conclusion of the EU US air transport agreement. It reaffirmed its unanimous satisfaction with the text of the draft agreement negotiated in November 2005 but regretted the further delay in the US position on the ownership and control issue.
The Council requested the Commission to continue its efforts, on the basis of further contacts with the United States to secure a satisfactory and balanced outcome with the necessary safeguards, including the transitional provisions, with a view to a decision at the December Transport Council. This would fulfil the commitments set out in the conclusion of the June 20066 EU US Summit in which both parties reaffirmed the commitment to reach agreement by the end of the year.
I again drew attention to the negative consequences of failure to finalise the agreement for those Member States that do not have open skies agreements in place already. I emphasized therefore the urgency of concluding this matter in December. In the meantime the existing arrangements in the Ireland US bilateral agreement will continue to apply. I am not currently engaged in discussions with my US counterpart on the existing bilateral agreement.
