Talks fail to break hush-kit deadlock

Date: 24/02/2000

By Renée Cordes

THE European Commission and US government officials have pledged to continue negotiations aimed at breaking the deadlock over the EU's planned ban on hush-kitted aircraft, after top-level talks this week failed to produce concrete results.

"The atmosphere is a bit better than it was a week ago," said a Commission spokesman after a meeting between Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio and US Undersecretary of State David Aaron in Brussels. But he admitted that the two sides were still deeply divided over how to settle the dispute.

The US is still insisting that the Union must suspend the ban "indefinitely" before it will agree to withdraw its threat to file a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Washington says that it will only work on a joint declaration with the EU on international noise standards once this has happened.

But the Commission maintains that the US must agree the joint declaration and withdraw its complaint first. Only then would the EU executive agree to draw up proposals to amend or suspend the ban.

Although no date has been set for further formal negotiations, Commission officials said both sides had promised to keep talking.

The measure approved by Union member states last year would outlaw planes fitted with 'hush kits', which reduce engine-noise levels to those required under ICAO regulations. Airlines would be prevented from registering hush-kitted planes in the Union from May this year, and flying those registered in non-EU countries from 2002.

The European Commission and US government officials have pledged to continue negotiations aimed at breaking the deadlock over the EU's planned ban on hush-kitted aircraft, after top-level talks failed to produce concrete results.