EU, Lanka strengthen air services

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Indunil HEWAGE

In a bid to strengthen the future aviation ties between Sri Lanka and European Union (EU) member states, Sri Lanka yesterday signed a horizontal air services agreement with the European Commission.

The agreement was signed by EU ambassador to Sri Lanka Bernard Savage and Aviation Ministry Secretary Ranjith de Silva.

Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony, EU ambassador to Sri Lanka Bernard Savage said EU has allocated euro seven million to develop future aviation activities in SAARC countries.

The newly signed agreement with Sri Lanka will bring several provisions in bilateral air services agreements between 15 EU Member States and Sri Lanka on a sound legal footing by ensuring compliance with EU legislation whilst removing nationality restrictions in bilateral air services agreements between EU Member States and Sri Lanka.

Under the horizontal air services agreement, any EU airline is allowed to operate flights between Sri Lanka and any EU Member State in which it is established, where a bilateral agreement between the EU Member State concerned and Sri Lanka already exists and traffic rights are available.

“Air transport will play a vital role in enhancing mutual rapport particularly in the fields of cultural, tourism, political and other potential areas whilst encouraging traffic between EU and Sri Lanka. Presently, six EU countries Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and the United Kingdom have direct flight facilities between Sri Lanka. Air passengers travelling between Sri Lanka and EU also saw a growth of 11% to top 380,000 passengers in 2010.

EU is optimistic that overall cooperation between Sri Lankan and EU member countries will be further enhanced linking its people, cultures and businesses. Currently, EU is having 47 horizontal agreements with partner countries around the globe and over 900 bilateral air services agreements have already been modified by the joint efforts of the European Commission and EU Member States to replace nationality rules with the principle of EU airline designation.