Norway and Iceland – have signed a civil aviation agreement with the EU and USA

“I am pleased that we have now landed an agreement on civil aviation that has as its objective the harmonisation of regulations on both sides of the Atlantic. This will ensure safer Trans-Atlantic air travel,” says Norway’s Minister of Transport & Communications, Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa.

The EU, USA, Iceland and Norway have signed an agreement on Iceland’s and Norway’s adoption of the Civil Aviation Agreement between the USA and EU.

Iceland and Norway, both of whom are fully integrated in the European civil aviation market through the EEA agreement, will now be on an equal footing with the EU member states in civil aviation co-operation with the USA.

“This will ensure that Norwegian airline companies will have the same competitive terms as the EU countries in dealings with the USA”, says Minister of Transport & Communications Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa.

The agreement encompasses an agreement to increase the safety and security of air travel and to further develop the regulations to combat the negative effects of civil aviation on the environment. The parties are committed to implementing the agreement without encroaching on the rights of employees in the industry. This is the first time employees’ rights have been incorporated in an agreement on civil aviation.

According to EU estimates the Trans-Atlantic co-operation is worth 12 billion Euro, and will accommodate up to 80 000 new jobs in Trans-Atlantic civil aviation.

The agreement is Phase II of the civil aviation agreement framework between the EU and USA. The first part of the agreement was signed in Brussels in December 2009.  Iceland and Norway participated as observers in negotiations on Phase II.

Press Release on agreement between EU and USA:

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/371&format=HTML&aged=0&language=en&guiLanguage=en