EC/Switzerland agreement: air transport

The Council presented a consolidated version of the agreement on air transport between the Community and Switzerland, that also includes the final act and the signatures of all of the contracting parties. It should be recalled that the agreement is based on the following principles : - reciprocal liberalisation, based on the acquis communautaire, of air traffic rights between each point in the European Community and each point in Switzerland, for transporters registered in the two parties; - reciprocal freedom of establishment; - the adoption of consultation and safeguard measures as regards the agreements concluded with third countries and international organisations. A joint committee will be established under the agreement; this will be responsible for the management of the agreement and ensure its implementation. The joint committee will decide on the conformity with the agreement of measures taken for environmental reasons by Switzerland. As far as air traffic rights are concerned, Switzerland obtained an additional but limited concession. It was agreed that, two years following the entry into force of the agreement, Swiss transporters will also be able to exploit routes between points in the various Member States of the EU. No firm undertaking was made as regards an extension of the agreement to operations in Switzerland and in the Member States, although the two parties have agreed to jointly examine this possibility five years after the entry into force of the agreement. The agreement also provides for the inclusion of fifth and seventh freedoms, which is a compromise within the meaning of complete integration.�