Lighteningspeed

ALPA Engaged as U.S. and EU Sign Open Skies Protocol Agreement Maintains Status Quo on Cabotage and Foreign Control of U.S. AirlinesJune 24, 2010The United States and the European Union signed a second-stage Open Skies agreement in Luxembourg today that, for the first time in an air transport agreement, includes a stand-alone article that underscores the value of high labor standards. In addition, the agreement does not include language sought by the European Union to allow cabotage or foreign control of U.S. airlines. In March 2010, the United States and the European Union initialed a protocol amending the 2007 “first stage” air transport agreement. Now that the protocol has been ratified, it will complete the obligation contained in the first-stage agreement for the two sides to engage in “second-stage negotiations,” which include the discussion of further liberalization of traffic rights, wet lease of European airline aircraft to U.S. airlines on U.S. domestic routes, and additional foreign investment opportunities. During the negotiations leading up to the initialed protocol in March and now the final, signed agreement this week, the European Union sought the right for its airlines to carry U.S. cabotage traffic and conduct domestic wet-lease operations on domestic routes, as well as the elimination of restrictions on foreign investment in U.S. airlines.
The United States did not agree to any of these requests. The two sides did agree to have the Joint Committee (the body established to monitor developments under the agreement) undertake an annual review of any new developments toward changes in the U.S. ownership and control rules. Any actual amendment of the ownership and control rules continue to be left to Congress.
The new article on labor recognizes the value of high labor standards and notes that the Joint Committee is to undertake regular consideration of the effects of the agreement on airline workers and develop responses to those concerns where appropriate. ALPA maintains that the principles in this article must be a fundamental part of future air services agreements, including any accord with China.
ALPA participated as a member of the U.S. delegation and worked with the U.S. negotiators, the Obama administration, and the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO throughout the two years of negotiations to advance the interests of the Association’s members and U.S. airline workers. The union continues to be fully engaged in the early stages of air services talks between the United States and China as a member of the U.S. delegation.
U.S. Department of State News Release
U.S.- EU Sign “Second Stage” Air Transport Agreement
European Union News Release
Siim Kallas welcomes the signature of the Second Stage EU–US “Open Skies” agreement


How is this going to impact us as US pilots in the next 5 years?
Discuss.

acl65pilot

Well the US did not allow the foreign ownership that the EU wanted.

Lighteningspeed

Yeah but this what concerns me:

The two sides did agree to have the Joint Committee (the body established to monitor developments under the agreement) undertake an annual review of any new developments toward changes in the U.S. ownership and control rules. Any actual amendment of the ownership and control rules continue to be left to Congress.

This means it can be changed.

acl65pilot

It can always be changed. That is why binding these Alliances and our share of said flying is crucial.

reddog25

For those who do not contribute to ALPA-PAC, I recommend the investment. As Sally Struthers would say...less than the cost of 3 cups of coffee a month

rickair7777

It can be changed, but not by this body or even a treaty...it would take an act of congress I believe.

Cabotage and foriegn control restrictions are not treaties, they are federal law at least in the US.

What can be changed is slot restrictions.