As part of a wider external relations agenda for the air transport sector unveiled on 14 March, the European Commission has announced it will formally ask authorisation from EU member states to "start negotiations aimed at ambitious air agreements with China and Russia".
The first step in the broader strategy will be to open air markets with the EU's neighbouring countries "in the Mediterranean and along its eastern borders" with negotiations currently ongoing with Morocco and the Western Balkans.
In a second stage, the Commission plans "shortly to initiate negotiations aimed at global agreements in major world regions" with the aim of gradually opening up world markets. Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot will visit Washington on 21-22 March to try to re-launch ailing open skies negotiations with the US.
