The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the report by Francisco ASSIS (S&D, PT) on the draft Council decision on conclusion, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, of a Protocol amending the Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part, to take account of the accession to the European Union of the Republic of Croatia.
The parliamentary committee recommended that the European Parliament approve the conclusion of the protocol.
In the short justification accompanying the report, it was recalled that the Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union, its Member States and Georgia was negotiated on the basis of the Council Decision adopted in June 2009 authorising the opening of negotiations. It was signed on 2 December 2010. The Agreement with Georgia was the first comprehensive air transport agreement signed with an important aviation partner in the Caucasus region. It forms part of the Union's external aviation policy framework established by the Commission.
In accordance with the Act of Accession of the Republic of Croatia, Croatia will accede to the agreements concluded or signed before the accession of Croatia by the EU Member States and the Union with one or more third countries by means of a protocol to those agreements. The Protocol to take account of the accession to the European Union of the Republic of Croatia has been negotiated between the Commission and the Authorities of Georgia.
The purpose of the Protocol is to allow the Republic of Croatia to become a Party to the Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union, its Member States and Georgia and to provide for the necessary ensuing linguistic adaptations. The Protocol will not introduce any changes to the substance of the Common Aviation Area Agreement. The Protocol was signed on 26 November 2014.