14 June 2004

U.S. Remains Committed to Opening Transatlantic Aviation Markets

Mineta disappointed over EU council's failure to endorse air services agreement

"We are missing a great opportunity to open access to markets for the benefit of consumers, carriers, workers and airports on both sides of the Atlantic," U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said June 11 on the news that the European Union (EU) Council of Ministers had failed to endorse a U.S.-EU air services agreement.

He said the United States remains committed to opening up transatlantic aviation markets but that it would now "review how best to achieve the objective" in light of the council's "unfortunate decision."

Following is Mineta's statement:

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U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington, D.C.
www.dot.gov

Friday, June 11, 2004

STATEMENT BY U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY NORMAN Y. MINETA ON U.S.-E.U. OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT

I am very disappointed that the European Union Council of Ministers has failed to endorse this historic first phase air services agreement negotiated by representatives of both the European Commission and the United States. We are missing a great opportunity to open access to markets for the benefit of consumers, carriers, workers and airports on both sides of the Atlantic. The agreement would have established ‘open skies' between the U.S. and 25 European nations, creating more competition and offering travelers and shippers more transatlantic choices at a lower cost. It would also have provided Europe the opportunity to solidify a single European market for air services. We remain committed to opening up transatlantic aviation markets; however, given today's unfortunate decision we must now review how best to achieve the objective.

Contact: Bill Mosley Tel.: (202) 366-4570

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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)