PURPOSE: to extend the scope of the Air Transport Agreement between the EU-US to Iceland and Norway, whilst retaining the bilateral nature of this Agreement.
PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Union, meeting within the Council.
BACKGROUND: the Air Transport Agreement between the EU and the United States signed on 25 and 30 April 2007, as amended by the Protocol to amend the Air Transport Agreement signed by the parties on 24 June 2010, explicitly provides for the accession of third countries to the Air Transport Agreement.
In accordance with the Air Transport Agreement, as amended by the Protocol, the Joint Committee established thereunder has developed a proposal for the accession of Iceland and Norway to the Air Transport Agreement, as amended by the Protocol.
On 16 November 2010 the Joint Committee proposed an Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America, of the first part, the European Union and its Member States, of the second part, Iceland, of the third part, and Norway, of the fourth part ("the Accession Agreement"). The Commission has negotiated an Ancillary Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, Iceland and Norway on the application of the Air Transport Agreement ("the Ancillary Agreement").
The two Agreements were signed on 16 June 2011 and at Oslo on 21 June 2011 respectively, subject to their conclusion at a later date.
It is now necessary to approve the Accession Agreement and the Ancillary Agreement.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: no impact assessment was carried out.
LEGAL BASIS: Article 100(2) in conjunction with Article 218(6) on the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
CONTENT: by this Decision, the “Accession Agreement” is hereby approved on behalf of the Union, as well as the “Ancillary Agreement”.
For further details of the Agreements, please refer to the initial legislative proposal dated 2 May 2011.
BUDGETARY IMPACT: the proposal has no impact on the EU’s budget.