PURPOSE: to conclude the establishment of a common aviation area encompassing the Union and its Member States, the Western Balkan countries, Norway and Iceland.
NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2018/145 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Multilateral Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Iceland, the Republic of Montenegro, the Kingdom of Norway, Romania, the Republic of Serbia and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo on the establishment of a European Common Aviation Area (ECAA).
CONTENT: the Council concluded the Multilateral Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, Romania, Serbia and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo on the establishment of a European Common Aviation Area (ECAA).
The aim of the Agreement is the creation of a European Common Aviation Area, based on free market access, freedom of establishment, equal conditions of competition, and common rules including in the safety, security, air traffic management, social and environment areas.
The Agreement was signed on behalf of the Community on 9 June 2006, subject to its conclusion at a later date, pursuant to Decision 2006/682/EC of the Council and of the Representatives of the Member States of the European Union meeting within the Council. It has been ratified by all Member States.
Following their accession to the Union, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia have become Member States and therefore automatically ceased to be Associated Parties under the Agreement.
Following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union replaces and succeeds the European Community and, from that date, assumes all the rights and obligations of the European Community.
The Council Decision states that the position to be taken by the Union as regards decisions of the Joint Committee under the Agreement regarding merely the inclusion of Union legislation into Annex I to the Agreement, subject to any technical adjustments needed, will be adopted by the Commission, after consultation of a Special Committee appointed by the Council.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 9.10.2017.