Videoconference, 8 April 2024 — The European Coordination Group on Economic matters convened at the beginning of April to prepare for the upcoming ICAO Air Transport Regulation Panel in Montreal.
During the meeting, participants exchanged information on the papers being submitted by panel members and observers. These papers addressed long-standing economic issues, including market liberalisation, market access, and the provision of guidance for States to fully understand and apply Article 15 requirements.
Additionally, several papers examined economic regulation aspects from a cross-cutting perspective, focusing on topics such as the economic regulation of international UAS operations and sustainable aviation.
Montreal, 16-18 April 2024 — This year’s ICAO Air Transport Regulation Panel (ATRP) was the opportunity to continue discussions on the development of a specific international agreement to facilitate further liberalisation of air cargo services. Many panel members and observers agreed on the need for transparency on capital shares in airlines, in order for States to be in a position to agree on further investments.
Chaired by Mark Bosly (United Kingdom), the Panel also agreed that the TASA should include a template agreement such as the MOU adopted by LACAC, to support regional and multilateral liberalisation of air cargo services. On the economic regulation of international UAS operations, the Panel considered that a bilateral approach would be more appropriate, before multilateral arrangements or global harmonisation could be considered.
The Panel also agreed that the proposed draft guidance should be adopted to ensure that ASAs continue to provide a predictable framework during crises that impact international air services.