Free aviation market set to open eastwards

Date: 26/09/1996

By Chris Johnstone

THE countries of Central and Eastern Europe will be offered entry into a widened European aviation area under proposals to be put to EU transport ministers next week.

The European Commission is seeking a mandate for the first time from national ministers for what would amount to an extension of the EU's own liberalisation scheme to the East.

The Commission envisages offering Eastern European countries step-by-step access to western markets in a gradual liberalisation which would follow the pattern of the EU's own third liberalisation plan. The last stage of the EU's 1993 package takes effect in April 1997, when airlines will be free to compete fully on domestic markets other than their own.

Commission officials say the eastward market opening could be tailored to the respective development of local airlines. The Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary are recognised to have more advanced aviation sectors than Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, or the Baltic states.

The mandate being sought by the Commission will not include labour clauses which would allow East European pilots and cabin crews to replace their western counterparts on EU airlines.

This has been one of the main worries raised when the question of eastward liberalisation has surfaced in the past, with transport trade unions warning they would fight any such move.

One national expert said that the Commission mandate was expected to receive broad support from transport ministers at their 3 October meeting in Luxembourg.

“These countries are likely to join the EU in the future so we might as well start opening up the aviation market now,” he said, although he added that details were still vague.

He also predicted that clauses forcing the CEECs to improve their safety procedures would probably be attached to any accord.

The Association of European Airlines (AEA), the main lobby group for Europe's biggest carriers, has been pushing the EU for several years to recruit Central and Eastern Europe into a more open market.

It is also impatient that deals have not yet been agreed with Cyprus, Malta, Switzerland or Turkey.