Avis juridique important

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31994D0649

94/649/EC: Council Decision of 19 September 1994 appointing three members of the Committee of the Regions

Official Journal L 251 , 27/09/1994 P. 0026 - 0026 Finnish special edition: Chapter 1 Volume 3 P. 0167  Swedish special edition: Chapter 1 Volume 3 P. 0167

COUNCIL DECISION of 19 September 1994 appointing three members of the Committee of the Regions (94/649/EC)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,  Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 198a thereof,  Having regard to the Council Decision of 26 January 1994 appointing members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions for the period 26 January 1994 to 25 January 1998 (1),  Whereas three seats have become vacant on the Committee of the Regions following the resignations of Mr Per Kaalund, Mr Poul Christensen and Mr Hilmar Soelund, notified to the Council on 13 July 1994;  Having regard to the proposal from the Danish Government,  HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:   Sole Article  Mr Soeren Madsen, Mr Bent Hansen and Mr Thorkild Simonsen are hereby appointed members of the Committee of the Regions in place of Mr Per Kaalund, Mr Poul Christensen and Mr Hilmar Soelund for the remainder of the their terms of office,  which run until 25 January 1998.  Done at Brussels, 19 September 1994.  For the Council The President Th. WAIGEL  (1) OJ No L 31, 4. 2. 1994, p. 29.


Avis juridique important

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31997D0468

97/468/EC: Commission Decision of 7 July 1997 drawing up provisional lists of third country establishments from which the Member States authorize imports of wild game meat (Text with EEA relevance)

Official Journal L 199 , 26/07/1997 P. 0062 - 0068

COMMISSION DECISION of 7 July 1997 drawing up provisional lists of third country establishments from which the Member States authorize imports of wild game meat (Text with EEA relevance) (97/468/EC)THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,Having regard to Council Decision 95/408/EC of 22 June 1995 on the conditions for drawing up, for an interim period, provisional lists of third country establishments from which Member States are authorized to import certain products of animal origin, fishery products or live bivalve molluscs (1), as last amended by Council Decision 97/34/EC (2), and in particular Article 2 (1) and Article 7 thereof,Whereas Commission Decision 94/86/EC (3), as last amended by Decision 96/137/EC (4), draws up a list of third countries from which the Member States authorize imports of wild game meat;Whereas, for many of the countries on that list the animal health and veterinary certification requirements for importation of wild game meat have been laid down in Commission Decision 97/218/EC (5), and in Decision 97/220/EC (6);Whereas the Commission has received from certain third countries lists of establishments, with guarantees that they fully meet the appropriate Community health requirements and that should an establishment fail to do so its export activities to the European Community will be suspended;Whereas the Commission has been unable to ascertain in all the third countries concerned the compliance of their establishments with the Community requirements and the validity of the guarantees provided by the competent authorities;Whereas, to prevent the interruption of trade in wild game meat from those countries, it is necessary to grant a further period during which Member States will be able to continue to import wild game meat from the establishments they have recognized under the reservation that the trade in this meat will be limited to the national market; whereas during that further period the Commission will collect from those countries the guarantees needed in order to be able to add them to the list in accordance with the procedure laid down in Decision 95/408/EC;Whereas, concerning the Czech Republic, a list of establishments has been drawn up by Commission Decision 97/299/EC (7);Whereas on the expiry of that period third countries which have not transmitted their lists of establishments in accordance with the Community rules will no longer be permitted to export wild game meat to the Community;Whereas Member States will be responsible therefore for satisfying themselves that the establishments from which they import wild game meat meet requirements for production and placing on the market which are no less stringent than the Community requirements;Whereas provisional lists of establishments producing wild game meat can thus be drawn up in respect of certain countries;Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:Article 1 1. The Member States shall authorize imports of wild game meat from the establishments of the third countries listed in the Annex hereto.2. Concerning third countries other than those in the Annex, Member States may authorize establishments for import of wild game meat up to 1 January 1998.3. Imports of wild game meat shall remain subject to the Community veterinary provisions adopted elsewhere.Article 2 This Decision shall apply from 1 July 1997.Article 3 This Decision is addressed to the Member States.Done at Brussels, 7 July 1997.For the CommissionFranz FISCHLERMember of the Commission(1) OJ No L 243, 11. 10. 1995, p. 17.(2) OJ No L 13, 16. 1. 1997, p. 33.(3) OJ No L 44, 17. 2. 1994, p. 33.(4) OJ No L 31, 9. 2. 1996, p. 31.(5) OJ No L 88, 3. 4. 1997, p. 25.(6) OJ No L 88, 3. 4. 1997, p. 70.(7) OJ No L 124, 16. 5. 1997, p. 50.ANEXO - BILAG - ANHANG - ÐÁÑÁÑÔÇÌÁ - ANNEX - ANNEXE - ALLEGATO - BIJLAGE - ANEXO - LIITE - BILAGA LISTA DE LOS ESTABLECIMIENTOS / LISTE OVER VIRKSOMHEDER / VERZEICHNIS DER BETRIEBE / ÐÉÍÁÊÁÓ ÔÙÍ ÅÃÊÁÔÁÓÔÁÓÅÙÍ / LIST OF ESTABLISHMENTS / LISTE DES ÉTABLISSEMENTS / ELENCO DEGLI STABILIMENTI / LIJST VAN BEDRIJVEN / LISTA DOS ESTABELECIMENTOS / LUETTELO LAITOKSISTA / FÖRTECKNING ÖVER ANLÄGGNINGAR Producto: Carne de caza salvaje / Produkt: Kød af vildtlevende vildt / Erzeugnis: Wildfleisch / Ðñïúüí: ÊñÝáò Üãñéùí èçñáìÜôùí / Product: Wild game meat / Produit: Viande de gibier sauvage / Prodotto: Carni di selvaggina / Product: Vlees van vrij wild / Produto: Carne de caça selvagem / Tuote: Luonnonvaraisen riistan liha / Varuslag: Viltkött 1 = Referencia nacional / National reference / National-Code / Åèíéêüò áñéèìüò Ýãêñéóçò / National reference / Référence nationale / Riferimento nazionale / Nationale code / Referência nacional / Kansallinen referenssi / Nationell referens2 = Nombre / Navn / Name / Ôßôëïò åãêáôÜóôáóçò / Name / Nom / Nome / Naam / Nome / Nimi / Namn3 = Ciudad / By / Stadt / Ðüëç / Town / Ville / Città / Stad / Cidade / Kaupunki / Stad4 = Región / Region / Region / Ðåñéï÷Þ / Region / Région / Regione / Regio / Região / Alue / Region5 = Actividad / Aktivitet / Tätigkeit / Åßäïò åãêáôÜóôáóçò / Activity / Activité / Attività / Activiteit / Actividade / Toimintamuoto / VerksamhetPH = Sala de tratamiento de la caza / vildtbehandlingsvirksomhed / Wildbearbeitungsbetrieb / êÝíôñï åðåîåñãáóßáò êõíçãéïý / wild game processing house / atelier de traitement du gibier sauvage / centro di lavorazione della selvaggina / Wildverwerkingseenheid / estabelecimento de tratamento de caça selvagem / luonnonvaraisen riistan käsittelytila / ViltbearbetningsanläggningCS = Almacén frigorífico / frysehus / Kühlhaus / ØõêôéêÞ åãêáôÜóôáóç / cold store / entreposage / deposito frigorifero / Koelhuis / armazém frigorífico / kylmävarasto / Kyl- och fryshus6 = Menciones especiales / Særlige bemærkninger / Spezielle Bemerkungen / ÅéäéêÝò ðáñáôçñÞóåéò / Special remarks / Mentions spéciales / Note particolari / Bijzondere opmerkingen / Menções especiais / Erikoismainintoja / Anmärkningara = Caza mayor / vildtlevende storvildt / Großwild / ìåãÜëá Üãñéá èçñÜìáôá / large wild game / gros gibier sauvage / selvaggina grossa / Grof vrij wild / Caça maior selvagem / luonnonvarainen suurriista / Storviltb = Lepóridos / leporidae / Leporiden / ëáãüìïñöá / leporidae / Léporidés / leporidi / Haasachtigen (leporidae) / Leporídeos / Leporidae-suvun eläimet / Hardjurc = Aves de caza silvestres / vildtlevende fjervildt / Federwild / Üãñéá ðôåñùôÜ èçñÜìáôá / wild game birds / oiseaux sauvages de chasse / selvaggina da penna selvatica / Vrij vederwild / Aves de caça selvagem / luonnonvaraiset riistalinnut / VildfågelT = Prueba para la detección de triquinas / undersøgelse for trikiner / Untersuchung auf Trichinen / åîÝôáóç ðáñïõóßáò ôñé÷éíþí / examination for trichinae / examen pour le dépistage des trichines / esame per l'individuazione di trichine / Onderzoek op de aanwezigheid van trichinen / exame para a detecção de triquinas / trikiinien tutkiminen / trikinkontroll>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>>TABLE>


title: Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2015/381 of 17 February 2015 on the appointment of the Head of Mission of the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) (EUPOL COPPS/1/2015)

text:
               7.3.2015

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 64/37

         POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE DECISION (CFSP) 2015/381
   of 17 February 2015
   on the appointment of the Head of Mission of the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) (EUPOL COPPS/1/2015)
   THE POLITICAL AND SECURITY COMMITTEE,
   Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 38 thereof,
   Having regard to Council Decision 2013/354/CFSP of 3 July 2013 on the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories, EUPOL COPPS (1), and in particular Article 9(1) thereof,
   Whereas:

               (1)

               Pursuant to Council Decision 2013/354/CFSP, the Political and Security Committee is authorised, in accordance with Article 38 of the Treaty, to take the relevant decisions for the purpose of exercising political control and strategic direction of the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS), including the decision to appoint a Head of Mission.

               (2)

               On 5 February 2015, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy proposed the appointment of Mr Rodolphe MAUGET as Head of Mission of EUPOL COPPS from 16 February 2015 to 30 June 2015.

               (3)

               Council Decision 2014/447/CFSP (2) extended the duration of EUPOL COPPS until 30 June 2015,

         HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   Mr Rodolphe MAUGET is hereby appointed as Head of Mission of EUPOL COPPS for the period from 16 February 2015 to 30 June 2015.
   Article 2
   This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
   It shall apply from 16 February 2015.

      Done at Brussels, 17 February 2015.

            For the Political and Security Committee

            The Chairperson

         W. STEVENS

      (1)  OJ L 185, 4.7.2013, p. 12.

      (2)  Council Decision 2014/447/CFSP of 9 July 2014 amending Council Decision 2013/354/CFSP on the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) (OJ L 201, 10.7.2014, p. 28).


title: Decision of the European Parliament of 5 May 2010 on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008

text:
               25.9.2010

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 252/107

         DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
   of 5 May 2010
   on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008
   (2010/506/EU)
   THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,
   having regard to the Commission report on the follow-up to the 2007 discharge decisions (COM(2009) 526 and its annex SEC(2009) 1427),
   having regard to the financial statements and revenue and expenditure accounts for the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008 (COM(2009) 397 — C7-0171/2009),
   having regard to the report on the financial management of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008,
   having regard to the financial information on the European Development Funds (COM(2009) 310),
   having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the activities funded by the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008, together with the Commission’s replies (1),
   having regard to the statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors pursuant to Article 248 of the EC Treaty (2),
   having regard to the Council’s recommendations of 16 February 2010 concerning the discharge to be given to the Commission in respect of the implementation of the operations of the European Development Funds for the financial year 2008 (5082/2010 — C7-0056/2010, 5084/2010 — C7-0057/2010, 5085/2010 — C7-0058/2010, 5086/2010 — C7-0059/2010),
   having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (3) and revised in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005 (4),
   having regard to Council Decision 2001/822/EC of 27 November 2001 on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Community (Overseas Association Decision) (5), amended by Council Decision 2007/249/EC (6),
   having regard to Article 33 of the Internal Agreement of 20 December 1995, between the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the financing and administration of the Community aid under the Second Financial Protocol to the fourth ACP-EC Convention (7),
   having regard to Article 32 of the Internal Agreement of 18 September 2000, between Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the Financing and Administration of Community Aid under the Financial Protocol to the Partnership Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Community and its Member States signed in Cotonou (Benin) on 23 June 2000 and the allocation of financial assistance for the Overseas Countries and Territories to which Part Four of the EC Treaty applies (8),
   having regard to Article 276 of the EC Treaty and Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
   having regard to Article 74 of the Financial Regulation of 16 June 1998 applicable to development finance cooperation under the fourth ACP-EC Convention (9),
   having regard to Article 119 of the Financial Regulation of 27 March 2003 applicable to the 9th European Development Fund (10),
   having regard to Article 142 of Council Regulation (EC) No 215/2008 of 18 February 2008 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the 10th European Development Fund (11),
   having regard to Rules 76 and 77, third indent of and Annex VI to its Rules of Procedure,
   having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinion of the Committee on Development (A7-0063/2010),

               1.

               Grants the Commission discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008;

               2.

               Sets out its observations in the resolution below;

               3.

               Instructs its President to forward this Decision, and the resolution that forms an integral part of it, to the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Court of Auditors and the European Investment Bank and to arrange for their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (L series).

            The President

         Jerzy BUZEK

            The Secretary-General

         Klaus WELLE

      (1)  OJ C 269, 10.11.2009, p. 257.

      (2)  OJ C 274, 13.11.2009, p. 235.

      (3)  OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.

      (4)  OJ L 287, 28.10.2005, p. 4.

      (5)  OJ L 314, 30.11.2001, p. 1 and OJ L 324, 7.12.2001, p. 1.

      (6)  OJ L 109, 26.4.2007, p. 33.

      (7)  OJ L 156, 29.5.1998, p. 108.

      (8)  OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 355.

      (9)  OJ L 191, 7.7.1998, p. 53.

      (10)  OJ L 83, 1.4.2003, p. 1.

      (11)  OJ L 78, 19.3.2008, p. 1.
    ---documentbreak---

               25.9.2010

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 252/109

         RESOLUTION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
   of 5 May 2010
   with observations forming an integral part of its Decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008
   THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT,
   having regard to the Commission report on the follow-up to the 2007 discharge decisions (COM(2009) 526 and its annex SEC(2009) 1427),
   having regard to the financial statements and revenue and expenditure accounts for the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008 (COM(2009) 397 — C7-0171/2009),
   having regard to the report on the financial management of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008,
   having regard to the financial information on the European Development Funds (COM(2009) 310),
   having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the activities funded by the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th European Development Funds for the financial year 2008, together with the Commission’s replies (1),
   having regard to the Court of Auditors’ Special Report No 15/2009 on EU assistance implemented through United Nations organisations: decision-making and monitoring,
   having regard to the Court of Auditors’ Special Report No 18/2009 on the effectiveness of EDF support for Regional Economic Integration in East Africa and West Africa,
   having regard to the statement of assurance as to the reliability of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions provided by the Court of Auditors pursuant to Article 248 of the EC Treaty (2),
   having regard to the Council’s recommendations of 16 February 2010 concerning the discharge to be given to the Commission in respect of the implementation of the operations of the European Development Funds for the financial year 2008 (5082/2010 — C7-0056/2010, 5084/2010 — C7-0057/2010, 5085/2010 — C7-0058/2010, 5086/2010 — C7-0059/2010),
   having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (3) and revised in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005 (4),
   having regard to Council Decision 2001/822/EC of 27 November 2001 on the association of the overseas countries and territories with the European Community (Overseas Association Decision) (5), amended by Council Decision 2007/249/EC (6),
   having regard to Article 33 of the Internal Agreement of 20 December 1995, between the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the financing and administration of the Community aid under the Second Financial Protocol to the fourth ACP-EC Convention (7),
   having regard to Article 32 of the Internal Agreement of 18 September 2000, between Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the Financing and Administration of Community Aid under the Financial Protocol to the Partnership Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Community and its Member States signed in Cotonou (Benin) on 23 June 2000 and the allocation of financial assistance for the Overseas Countries and Territories to which Part Four of the EC Treaty applies (8),
   having regard to Article 276 of the EC Treaty and Article 319 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
   having regard to Article 74 of the Financial Regulation of 16 June 1998 applicable to development finance cooperation under the fourth ACP-EC Convention (9),
   having regard to Article 119 of the Financial Regulation of 27 March 2003 applicable to the 9th European Development Fund (10),
   having regard to Article 142 of Council Regulation (EC) No 215/2008 of 18 February 2008 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the 10th European Development Fund (11),
   having regard to Rules 76 and 77, third indent of and Annex VI to its Rules of Procedure,
   having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinion of the Committee on Development (A7-0063/2010),

               A.

               whereas the European Development Fund (EDF) is the European Union’s most important financial instrument for development cooperation with the African, Caribbean and Pacific States,

               B.

               whereas the total amount of aid channelled through the EDF will increase considerably over the coming years, since the amount of EU aid under the 10th EDF for the period 2008 to 2013 has been set at EUR 22 682 000 000, which represents a 64 % increase compared with the financial allocations under the Ninth EDF,

               C.

               whereas budget support is an aid instrument which requires a paradigm shift in parliamentary oversight, moving from control over inputs to the checking of results and outputs,

               D.

               whereas, despite Parliament’s repeated request that the EDF be budgetised, the EDFs currently do not fall under the general budget of the European Union and the general Financial Regulation, but are implemented in accordance with specific financial rules,

               E.

               whereas it is determined to continue to develop its oversight capabilities in order to fulfil as efficiently as possible its obligations as discharge authority,

               1.

               Welcomes the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, particularly the creation of the office of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the creation of the European External Action Service (EEAS); is concerned that the effectiveness of European development aid could be hindered by the fragmented way in which it is managed, and points out that improvements aimed at better management of the EDFs must be maintained and not be blocked; calls on the Commission to give it a description and detailed explanation of the operation of the new system;

               2.

               Recalls and supports the Commission’s undertaking that it will fully incorporate the EDF into the budget during discussions on the next financial framework; repeats its request to the Commission to keep its Committee on Budgetary Control fully informed concerning the preparation of this initiative; takes the view that incorporation of the EDF into the general budget of the European Union would make it possible to enhance the coherence, transparency and effectiveness of the EDF and to strengthen its oversight system;

               3.

               Asks to be kept informed concerning the mid-term review due to be held for the 10th EDF in 2010 and urges that the joint programming should be adequately strengthened to obtain a greater concentration and better coordination and division of work; takes the view that the implementation strategy for the 10th EDF should focus on a limited number of areas, without excluding non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are effective at local level and are of crucial importance for sustainable development, in order to avoid the harmful effects arising from a proliferation of objectives; in this connection, calls on the Commission to verify whether management by the respective NGOs in the field is in fact more efficient and cost-effective than management by the Commission;

               4.

               Repeats its invitation to the Commission, when fine-tuning its control strategy, to identify the point at which lack of results and the costs of control call for a policy change; in this connection looks forward to receiving the Commission report on the results of the tolerable risk/cost effectiveness studies on external action and the review of the EuropeAid control strategy, in good time for the 2009 discharge procedure;

      Statement of assurance

               5.

               Notes that the Court of Auditors, with the exception of the Commission’s method of estimating the provision for costs incurred, takes the view that the accounts reliably reflect the revenue and expenditure relating to the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th EDFs; encourages the Commission to refine its method in the next few months for the discharge in respect of the financial year 2009;

      Underlying transactions

               6.

               Notes with satisfaction that, according to the Court of Auditors, the revenue and commitments are free from material error; is, however, concerned about the high incidence of non-quantifiable errors in budget support commitments and assessments of a material level of error in the payments;

               7.

               Deplores and finds unacceptable the fact that the Court of Auditors was not able to obtain all the information and documentation concerning 10 sampled payments to international organisations and that consequently it is not able to express an opinion on the regularity of expenditure amounting to EUR 190 000 000, i.e. 6,7 % of the annual expenditure;

               8.

               Calls on the Commission to take a sufficiently firm line with international organisations and draw up an ad hoc calendar ensuring that requests for information will be dealt with on time, so as to support the requests of the Court of Auditors for information/documentation and to ensure that the financial and administrative framework agreement (FAFA) is respected;

      Financial implementation

               9.

               Notes with satisfaction that the Seventh EDF was closed on 31 August 2008 and that EUR 10 381 000 000 was disbursed, amounting to 98,3 % of the EUR 10 559 000 000 allocated; notes that the balance (EUR 178 000 000) was transferred to the Ninth EDF;

               10.

               Notes that the 10th EDF (for the period 2008-2013, for a total amount of EUR 22 682 000 000) entered into force on 1 July 2008, and welcomes the speedy implementation of the 10th EDF and the Commission’s generally good performance, as regards commitments and payments and the management of outstanding commitments; encourages the Commission to continue its efforts with regard to old and dormant outstanding commitments;

      The Commission’s financial management of the EDFs

               11.

               Notes with satisfaction that in the opinion of the Court of Auditors the Commission’s report on the financial management of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th EDFs for the financial year 2008 presents ‘an accurate description of the achievement of the Commission’s operational objectives for the financial year (…), the financial situation and the events that had a significant influence on the activities carried out in 2008’ (12);

      Reliability of the accounts

               12.

               Notes that, under Article 1 and Article 103(3) of the Financial Regulation of 27 March 2003 applicable to the 9th EDF and Articles 2, 3, and 4 and Article 125(3) of Regulation (EC) No 215/2008, the statement of assurance (DAS) does not extend to the part of the Ninth and 10th EDFs’ resources that is managed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) (more than EUR 3 500 000 000) (13); takes the view that resources not covered by the DAS should regularly be the subject of an EIB report;

               13.

               Welcomes the fact that the Court of Auditors takes the view that the final annual accounts of the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and 10th EDFs fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position of the EDFs as at 31 December 2008;

               14.

               Notes with satisfaction that the new accrual-based accounting system adapted to the EDF (ABAC EDF) was introduced in February 2009;

      Project management and payments

               15.

               Welcomes the record levels of commitments which were reached in 2008 and the timely implementation of the 10th EDF; stresses that speeding up implementation should not come at the expense of the quality of funded operations;

               16.

               Notes with satisfaction that the Court of Auditors found that the advance payments were free from material error; deplores nevertheless the fact that the Court of Auditors found a material level of error affecting the amount of payments audited;

               17.

               Can accept the argument that some of the errors (lack of invoices or other supporting documents), i.e. those relating to the occurrence of expenditure in Angola, can be explained by the particularly difficult conditions in which the audit was carried out in that country; stresses, however, that 47 % of the quantifiable errors relate to the eligibility of expenditure and therefore calls on the Commission to improve its control system so as to reduce errors (14); draws the Commission’s attention in this connection to the recommendation of the Court of Auditors that ex-ante checks should be improved by focusing on key risks;

               18.

               Calls on the Commission, when the Financial Regulation is revised, to identify any procedural problems that it has encountered during crises and to present to Parliament an effective control procedure, particularly as regards the financing of emergency aid measures by Member States, that is flexible enough not to harm the flow of funds and that ensures the transparency of the projects undertaken;

      Annual activity report

               19.

               Welcomes the finding of the Court of Auditors that the quality of the annual activity report has significantly improved and congratulates the Commission, inter alia on greater use of quantitative indicators (15);

      Monitoring of implementing organisations

               20.

               Criticises the fact that, as in previous years, there are still significant weaknesses in the financial procedures and controls of implementing organisations, supervisors and National Authorising Officers (NAOs); welcomes nevertheless the efforts of EuropeAid and the delegations in particular to address those weaknesses; calls for those efforts to be stepped up in future and expects that future improvements expected in CRIS Audit will make a better result possible;

               21.

               Stresses that democracy and the right for people to live under conditions where their human rights are not violated must be integrated goals of the implementing organisations in countries where EDF support is distributed;

      Budget support

               22.

               Notes the significant increase in the share of cumulative financing decisions accounted for by budget support and structural adjustment under the 10th EDF (over 45 %) as compared with the Eighth and Ninth EDFs (around 15 %) (16);

               23.

               Deplores the fact that the Court of Auditors’ audit of budget support commitments and payments found them to be affected by a high level of non-quantifiable errors; urges the Commission to evaluate those payments with even greater rigour and to tighten up its payment procedures as of now; notes with satisfaction in this context that a review of the financial circuits for these payments was carried out in February 2009;

               24.

               Welcomes the improvement in the clarity and structure of the Commission’s assessments of compliance with the Cotonou Agreement; deplores the fact, however, that the Court of Auditors still found frequent cases where the Commission did not demonstrate in a sufficiently structured and formalised manner that public finance management in the beneficiary countries was sufficiently transparent, accountable and effective or at least that those countries had a credible and relevant reform programme to this end;

               25.

               Agrees with the Court of Auditors that the Commission must continue its efforts to substantiate its decisions on the eligibility of budget support and to ensure that all financing agreements provide a comprehensive and clear basis for the assessment of compliance with payment conditions (17); looks forward to receiving information on the outcome of the guidance review promised by the Commission for the end of 2009;

               26.

               Urges the Commission to help partner countries develop parliamentary control and audit capacities and to involve parliaments, as well as civil society, in drawing up their national development strategies;

               27.

               Recalls, as already pointed out in paragraph 79 of its resolution of 23 April 2009 with observations forming an integral part of the decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth European Development Funds for the financial year 2007 (18) (hereinafter ‘resolution of 23 April 2009’), that its role as regards budget support is to hold the Commission accountable for the results of spending, and that budget support is an aid instrument that requires a paradigm shift in oversight behaviour, moving from control over inputs to the checking of results against indicators, thus ensuring that support spending benefits the population of the recipient country;

               28.

               Repeats its request to the Commission to identify, with the utmost rigour, the countries or issues in budgetary support implementation where particular parliamentary attention could prove useful in improving donor accountability (19) in addition to the special guidance on how to manage budget support operations in countries in a situation of fragility promised in the Commission’s replies of 2 December 2009 to the Committee on Budgetary Control’s written questions to Commissioner Karel De Gucht;

               29.

               Repeats its call to the Court of Auditors to inform it of the quality of the Commission’s risk assessment and management, and would welcome more performance audits assessing the results of development spending in general and budget support in particular (20);

               30.

               Calls on the Commission to ensure that budget support is reduced or cancelled when clear goals are not achieved;

      Disclosure statement by beneficiary states

               31.

               Reiterates its view that development aid in general and budget support in particular should be tied to an ex-ante disclosure statement, issued by the recipient country’s government and signed by its finance minister, concerning selected issues that affect the governance and accountability structure of a beneficiary country; does not accept the Commission’s argument that sufficient information on governance is obtained from analyses carried out with the cooperation of other parties and stakeholders;

               32.

               Calls again on the Commission to take the lead and to present a proposal along these lines to other international donors, in particular the World Bank, with a view to developing and implementing such an instrument in agreement with other donors; looks forward to being informed of a possible timeframe for these negotiations;

      Human resources

               33.

               Is very concerned at the risk of loss of institutional memory as a result of significant staff constraints (excessive turnover, and excessively high and increasing vacancy rates) disclosed in EuropeAid’s annual activity report (21) and expresses concern that the number of EuropeAid staff has continued to decline in comparison to funds committed;

               34.

               Reiterates its concern that there is a risk that a shortage or inadequate allocation of staff or the unavailability of specific skills and knowledge will have an impact on the effectiveness of action taken and the quality of the controls, verification and monitoring (22);

               35.

               Supports the intention expressed by the Commission to recruit additional external staff to increase numbers at headquarters and in the delegations for the management and control of the EDF; considers such an increase in staff to be all the more necessary because of the substantial increase in commitments under the 10th EDF;

      Comments on the conclusions and recommendations of the Court of Auditors

               36.

               Notes with satisfaction that the Court of Auditors has recognised EuropeAid’s efforts to make significant improvements in its supervisory and control systems; supports the Commission in its determination to continue to improve the control systems’ architecture;

               37.

               Fully agrees with the recommendations of the Court of Auditors expressed in points 55(a) to (f) and 56(a) and (b) of the annual report on the EDFs;

               38.

               Draws attention in particular, pending solutions to the lack of human resources, to the recommendation of the Court of Auditors on the need for the Commission to carry out a more structured risk analysis, to provide a more realistic assessment of the resources available when preparing the annual audit plans, and to closely monitor the implementation of the audit plans throughout the year;

               39.

               Points out that, in its Special Report No 18/2009, the Court of Auditors assesses EDF support for regional economic integration in East Africa and West Africa, to which a considerable proportion — over 50 % — of EDF funding is allocated, as only partially effective; calls on the Commission to take steps to implement the measures proposed by the Court of Auditors, particularly as regards coordinating with and ensuring coherence with regional organisations, providing sufficient staffing, coordinating regional and national strategies and providing a precise clarification of tasks, responsibilities and objectives;

      Development priorities and visibility

               40.

               Calls for the Development Cooperation Instrument benchmark allocating 20 % of spending to basic and secondary education and basic health to apply also to the EDF; urges the Commission to place greater emphasis on maternal health, as this is the Millennium Development Goal for which progress has been most disappointing; urges the Commission to ensure better visibility for EU-funded activities overseas;

               41.

               Reiterates its support for EDF budgetisation, as a means of making spending more democratic, more accountable and more transparent;

      The Investment Facility

               42.

               Notes that the EIB manages the Investment Facility, a risk-bearing instrument funded from the EDF that aims to foster private investment in the difficult economic and political context of the ACP countries; recalls its comments in its resolutions of 22 April 2008 (23) and 23 April 2009 accompanying its decisions on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Development Fund for the financial years 2006 and 2007, expressing its concern that the management of the Investment Facility by the EIB was excluded from the discharge; further recalls that EDF resources are derived from public money contributed by European taxpayers and not by the financial markets;

               43.

               Deplores, as did the Court of Auditors in its Opinion No 9/2007 on the proposal for a Council Regulation on a Financial Regulation applicable to the 10th European Development Fund, the creation of two separate areas of management, as this limits the scope of the discharge, creates an additional need for coordination between the Commission and the EIB, and makes it difficult to obtain a complete picture of results achieved;

               44.

               Notes that the EIB’s annual report on the Investment Facility contains mainly financial information and very little — if any — information on the results of the various programmes financed;

               45.

               Recalls that, in paragraph 24 of its above-mentioned resolution of 22 April 2008, it suggested that, during the discharge procedure, the EIB present its annual report on the implementation of the Investment Facility immediately to Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control; proposes, in this connection, that the Committee on Budgetary Control invite the President of the EIB as soon as possible to discuss this possibility;

               46.

               Repeats the invitation it made to the EIB in its resolution of 23 April 2009 to focus its reporting on results and to present complete, relevant and objective information as regards outcomes, objectives set, objectives achieved and reasons for possible deviation, as well as evaluations carried out and a summary of evaluation results;

               47.

               Calls on the Commission to provide more comprehensive information than when following up the resolution of 23 April 2009 on the specific procedures it has established with the EIB with a view to coordinating the two institutions’ efforts to achieve EU objectives relating to development, and on the efficiency of those procedures.

      (1)  OJ C 269, 10.11.2009, p. 257.

      (2)  OJ C 274, 13.11.2009, p. 235.

      (3)  OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 3.

      (4)  OJ L 287, 28.10.2005, p. 4.

      (5)  OJ L 314, 30.11.2001, p. 1 and OJ L 324, 7.12.2001, p. 1.

      (6)  OJ L 109, 26.4.2007, p. 33.

      (7)  OJ L 156, 29.5.1998, p. 108.

      (8)  OJ L 317, 15.12.2000, p. 355.

      (9)  OJ L 191, 7.7.1998, p. 53.

      (10)  OJ L 83, 1.4.2003, p. 1.

      (11)  OJ L 78, 19.3.2008, p. 1.

      (12)  See the Court of Auditors’ 2008 annual report on the EDFs, point 8.

      (13)  See the Court of Auditors’ 2008 annual report on the EDFs, point 2.

      (14)  See the Court of Auditors’ 2008 annual report on the EDFs, point 22.

      (15)  See the Court of Auditors’ 2008 annual report on the EDFs, point 29.

      (16)  See the Court of Auditors’ 2008 annual report on the EDFs, Chart II, p. 266.

      (17)  See the Court of Auditors’ 2008 annual report on the EDFs, point 56.

      (18)  OJ L 255, 26.9.2009, p. 98.

      (19)  See paragraph 43 of the resolution of 23 April 2009.

      (20)  See paragraph 53 of the resolution of 23 April 2009.

      (21)  See the Court of Auditors’ 2008 annual report on the EDFs, point 30.

      (22)  See paragraph 61 of the resolution of 23 April 2009.

      (23)  OJ L 88, 31.3.2009, p. 253.


title: 2010/465/EU: Decision of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Union, meeting within the Council of 24 June 2010 on the signing and provisional application of the Protocol to Amend the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part

text:
               25.8.2010

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 223/1

         DECISION OF THE COUNCIL AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL
   of 24 June 2010
   on the signing and provisional application of the Protocol to Amend the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part
   (2010/465/EU)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,
   Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in particular Article 100(2), in conjunction with Article 218(5) and the first subparagraph of Article 218(8) thereof,
   Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
   Whereas:

               (1)

               The Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed on 25 and 30 April 2007 (hereinafter, the ‘Agreement’), included an obligation on both Parties to enter into second stage negotiations.

               (2)

               As a consequence of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, the European Union has replaced and succeeded the European Community.

               (3)

               The Commission has negotiated on behalf of the Union and of the Member States a protocol to amend the Agreement (hereinafter, the ‘Protocol’) in accordance with Article 21 of that Agreement.

               (4)

               The Protocol was initialled on 25 March 2010.

               (5)

               The Protocol is fully consistent with the Union legislation, particularly with the EU Emissions Trading System.

               (6)

               The Protocol negotiated by the Commission should be signed and applied provisionally by the Union and the Member States, to the extent permitted under domestic law, subject to its possible conclusion at a later date.

               (7)

               It is necessary to lay down procedural arrangements for deciding, if appropriate, how to discontinue the provisional application of the Protocol and how to take measures pursuant to Article 21(5) of the Agreement as amended by the Protocol. It is also necessary to lay down procedural arrangements for the suspension of the reciprocal recognition of regulatory determinations with regard to airline fitness and citizenship pursuant to Article 6 bis(2) of the Agreement as amended by the Protocol and for implementing certain provisions of the Agreement, including those concerning the environment pursuant to Article 15(5) of the Agreement as amended by the Protocol,

         HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   Signing and provisional application
   1.   The signing of the Protocol to Amend the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (hereinafter the ‘Protocol’) is hereby approved on behalf of the Union, subject to the conclusion of the said Protocol.
   The text of the Protocol is attached to this Decision.
   2.   The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Protocol on behalf of the Union, subject to its conclusion.
   3.   Pending its entry into force, the Protocol shall be applied on a provisional basis by the Union and its Member States, to the extent permitted under domestic law, from the date of signing.
   4.   A decision to discontinue the provisional application of the Protocol and to give notice thereof to the United States of America in accordance with Article 9(2) of the Protocol, and a decision to withdraw such notice, shall be taken by the Council, on behalf of the Union and of the Member States, acting unanimously in accordance with the relevant Treaty provisions.
   Article 2
   Suspension of reciprocal recognition
   A decision to suspend the reciprocal recognition of regulatory determinations with regard to airline fitness and citizenship and to inform the United States of America thereof in accordance with Article 6 bis(2) of the Agreement as amended by the Protocol shall be taken by the Council, on behalf of the Union and of the Member States, acting unanimously in accordance with the relevant Treaty provisions.
   Article 3
   Joint Committee
   1.   The Union and the Member States shall be represented in the Joint Committee established pursuant to Article 18 of the Agreement as amended by the Protocol by representatives of the Commission and of the Member States.
   2.   For matters that fall within the exclusive competence of the Union and do not require the adoption of a decision having legal effect, the position to be taken by the Union and its Member States within the Joint Committee shall be adopted by the Commission and shall be notified in advance to the Council and the Member States.
   3.   For decisions concerning matters that fall within the competence of the Union, the position to be taken by the Union and its Member States within the Joint Committee shall be adopted by the Council, acting by qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission, unless the applicable voting procedures set down in the Treaty provide otherwise.
   4.   For decisions concerning matters that fall within the competence of the Member States, the position to be taken by the Union and its Member States within the Joint Committee shall be adopted by the Council, acting by unanimity on a proposal from the Commission or from any Member State, unless a Member State has informed the General Secretariat of the Council within one month of the adoption of that position that it can only consent to the decision to be taken by the Joint Committee with the agreement of its legislative bodies, notably due to a parliamentary scrutiny reserve.
   5.   The position of the Union and of the Member States within the Joint Committee shall be presented by the Commission, except in matters that fall within the exclusive competence of the Member States, in which case it shall be presented by the Presidency of the Council or, if the Council so decides, by the Commission.
   Article 4
   Decisions in accordance with Article 21(5) of the Agreement
   A decision not to allow airlines of the other Party to operate additional frequencies or enter new markets under the Agreement and give notice thereof to the United States of America, or to agree to lift any such decision, taken in accordance with Article 21(5) of the Agreement as amended by the Protocol, shall be adopted by the Council, on behalf of the Union and of the Member States, acting unanimously in accordance with the relevant Treaty provisions.
   Article 5
   Information to the Commission
   Member States shall inform the Commission immediately of any requests or notifications made or received by them pursuant to Article 15 of the Agreement as amended by the Protocol.

      Done at Luxembourg, 24 June 2010.

            For the Council

            The President

         J. BLANCO LÓPEZ

      PROTOCOL
      to amend the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America and the European Community and its Member States, signed on 25 and 30 April 2007
      THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (hereinafter: ‘the United States’),
      of the one part; and
      THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM,
      THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA,
      THE CZECH REPUBLIC,
      THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK,
      THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,
      THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA,
      IRELAND,
      THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC,
      THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN,
      THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,
      THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,
      THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS,
      THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA,
      THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA,
      THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG,
      THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY,
      THE REPUBLIC OF MALTA,
      THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS,
      THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA,
      THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND,
      THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC,
      ROMANIA,
      THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA,
      THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC,
      THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND,
      THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN,
      THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND,
      being parties to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and being Member States of the European Union (hereinafter: ‘the Member States’),
      and the EUROPEAN UNION,
      of the other part;
      INTENDING to build upon the framework established by the Air Transport Agreement between the United States and the European Community and its Member States, signed on 25 and 30 April 2007 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’), with the goal of opening access to markets and maximising benefits for consumers, airlines, labour, and communities on both sides of the Atlantic,
      FULFILLING the mandate in Article 21 of the Agreement to negotiate expeditiously a second stage agreement that advances this goal,
      RECOGNISING that the European Union replaced and succeeded the European Community as a consequence of the entry into force on 1 December 2009 of the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, and that as of that date, all the rights and obligations of, and all the references to, the European Community in the Agreement apply to the European Union,
      HAVE AGREED TO AMEND THE AGREEMENT AS FOLLOWS:
      Article 1
      Definitions
      Article 1 of the Agreement shall be amended by:

                  1.

                  inserting the following new definition after paragraph 2:
                  ‘2 bis   “Citizenship determination” means a finding that an air carrier proposing to operate services under this Agreement satisfies the requirements of Article 4 regarding its ownership, effective control, and principal place of business;’

                  2.

                  inserting the following new definition after paragraph 3:
                  ‘3 bis   “Fitness determination” means a finding that an air carrier proposing to operate services under this Agreement has satisfactory financial capability and adequate managerial expertise to operate such services and is disposed to comply with the laws, regulations, and requirements that govern the operation of such services;’.

            Article 2
      Reciprocal Recognition of Regulatory Determinations with Regard to Airline Fitness and Citizenship
      A new Article 6 bis shall be inserted following Article 6 as follows:

         ‘Article 6 bis

         Reciprocal Recognition of Regulatory Determinations with Regard to Airline Fitness and Citizenship
         1.   Upon receipt of an application for operating authorisation, pursuant to Article 4, from an air carrier of one Party, the aeronautical authorities of the other Party shall recognise any fitness and/or citizenship determination made by the aeronautical authorities of the first Party with respect to that air carrier as if such a determination had been made by its own aeronautical authorities and not enquire further into such matters, except as provided for at subparagraph (a) below.

                     (a)

                     If, after receipt of an application for operating authorisation from an air carrier, or after the grant of such authorisation, the aeronautical authorities of the receiving Party have a specific reason for concern that, despite the determination made by the aeronautical authorities of the other Party, the conditions prescribed in Article 4 of this Agreement for the grant of appropriate authorisations or permissions have not been met, then they shall promptly advise those authorities, giving substantive reasons for their concern. In that event, either Party may seek consultations, which should include representatives of the relevant aeronautical authorities, and/or additional information relevant to this concern, and such requests shall be met as soon as practicable. If the matter remains unresolved, either Party may bring the matter to the Joint Committee.

                     (b)

                     This Article shall not apply to determinations in relation to safety certificates or licences; security arrangements; or insurance coverage.

               2.   Each Party shall inform the other in advance where practicable, and otherwise as soon as possible afterward, through the Joint Committee of any substantial changes in the criteria it applies in making the determinations referred to in paragraph 1 above. If the receiving Party requests consultations on any such change they shall be held in the Joint Committee within 30 days of such a request, unless the Parties agree otherwise. If, following such consultations, the receiving Party considers that the revised criteria of the other Party would not be satisfactory for the reciprocal recognition of regulatory determinations, the receiving Party may inform the other Party of the suspension of paragraph 1. This suspension may be lifted by the receiving Party at any time. The Joint Committee shall be informed accordingly.’

      Article 3
      Environment
      Article 15 of the Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

         ‘Article 15
         Environment
         1.   The Parties recognise the importance of protecting the environment when developing and implementing international aviation policy, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of measures to protect the environment in developing such policy, and, where appropriate, jointly advancing effective global solutions. Accordingly, the Parties intend to work together to limit or reduce, in an economically reasonable manner, the impact of international aviation on the environment.
         2.   When a Party is considering proposed environmental measures at the regional, national, or local level, it should evaluate possible adverse effects on the exercise of rights contained in this Agreement, and, if such measures are adopted, it should take appropriate steps to mitigate any such adverse effects. At the request of a Party, the other Party shall provide a description of such evaluation and mitigating steps.
         3.   When environmental measures are established, the aviation environmental standards adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization in annexes to the Convention shall be followed except where differences have been filed. The Parties shall apply any environmental measures affecting air services under this Agreement in accordance with Article 2 and Article 3(4) of this Agreement.
         4.   The Parties reaffirm the commitment of Member States and the United States to apply the balanced approach principle.
         5.   The following provisions shall apply to the imposition of new mandatory noise-based operating restrictions at airports which have more than 50 000 movements of civil subsonic jet aeroplanes per calendar year.

                     (a)

                     The responsible authorities of a Party shall provide an opportunity for the views of interested parties to be considered in the decision-making process.

                     (b)

                     Notice of the introduction of any new operating restriction shall be made available to the other Party at least 150 days prior to the entry into force of that operating restriction. At the request of that other Party, a written report shall be provided without delay to that other Party explaining the reasons for introducing the operating restriction, the environmental objective established for the airport, and the measures that were considered to meet that objective. That report shall include the relevant evaluation of the likely costs and benefits of the various measures considered.

                     (c)

                     Operating restrictions shall be (i) non-discriminatory; (ii) not more restrictive than necessary in order to achieve the environmental objective established for a specific airport; and (iii) non-arbitrary.

               6.   The Parties endorse and shall encourage the exchange of information and regular dialogue among experts, in particular through existing communication channels, to enhance cooperation, consistent with applicable laws and regulations, on addressing international aviation environmental impacts and mitigation solutions, including:

                     (a)

                     research and development of environmentally friendly aviation technology;

                     (b)

                     improvement of scientific understanding regarding aviation emissions impacts in order to better inform policy decisions;

                     (c)

                     air traffic management innovation with a view to reducing the environmental impacts of aviation;

                     (d)

                     research and development of sustainable alternative fuels for aviation; and

                     (e)

                     exchange of views on issues and options in international fora dealing with the environmental effects of aviation, including the coordination of positions, where appropriate.

               7.   If so requested by the Parties, the Joint Committee, with the assistance of experts, shall work to develop recommendations that address issues of possible overlap between and consistency among market-based measures regarding aviation emissions implemented by the Parties with a view to avoiding duplication of measures and costs and reducing to the extent possible the administrative burden on airlines. Implementation of such recommendations shall be subject to such internal approval or ratification as may be required by each Party.
         8.   If one Party believes that a matter involving aviation environmental protection, including proposed new measures, raises concerns for the application or implementation of this Agreement, it may request a meeting of the Joint Committee, as provided in Article 18, to consider the issue and develop appropriate responses to concerns found to be legitimate.’

      Article 4
      Social Dimension
      A new Article 17 bis shall be inserted following Article 17 as follows:

         ‘Article 17 bis

         Social Dimension
         1.   The Parties recognise the importance of the social dimension of the Agreement and the benefits that arise when open markets are accompanied by high labour standards. The opportunities created by the Agreement are not intended to undermine labour standards or the labour-related rights and principles contained in the Parties’ respective laws.
         2.   The principles in paragraph 1 shall guide the Parties as they implement the Agreement, including regular consideration by the Joint Committee, pursuant to Article 18, of the social effects of the Agreement and the development of appropriate responses to concerns found to be legitimate.’

      Article 5
      The Joint Committee
      Paragraphs 3, 4, and 5 of Article 18 of the Agreement shall be deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:

         ‘3.   The Joint Committee shall review, as appropriate, the overall implementation of the Agreement, including any effects of aviation infrastructure constraints on the exercise of rights provided for in Article 3, the effects of security measures taken pursuant to Article 9, the effects on the conditions of competition, including in the field of Computer Reservation Systems, and any social effects of the implementation of the Agreement. The Joint Committee shall also consider, on a continuing basis, individual issues or proposals that either Party identifies as affecting, or having the potential to affect, operations under the Agreement, such as conflicting regulatory requirements.
         4.   The Joint Committee shall also develop cooperation by:

                     (a)

                     considering potential areas for the further development of the Agreement, including the recommendation of amendments to the Agreement;

                     (b)

                     considering the social effects of the Agreement as it is implemented and developing appropriate responses to concerns found to be legitimate;

                     (c)

                     maintaining an inventory of issues regarding government subsidies or support raised by either Party in the Joint Committee;

                     (d)

                     making decisions, on the basis of consensus, concerning any matters with respect to application of paragraph 6 of Article 11;

                     (e)

                     developing, where requested by the Parties, arrangements for the reciprocal recognition of regulatory determinations;

                     (f)

                     fostering cooperation between the respective authorities of the Parties in efforts to develop their respective air traffic management systems with a view toward optimising the interoperability and compatibility of those systems, reducing costs, and enhancing their safety, capacity, and environmental performance;

                     (g)

                     promoting the development of proposals for joint projects and initiatives in the field of aviation safety, including with third countries;

                     (h)

                     encouraging continued close cooperation among the relevant aviation security authorities of the Parties, including initiatives to develop security procedures that enhance passenger and cargo facilitation without compromising security;

                     (i)

                     considering whether the Parties’ respective laws, regulations, and practices in areas covered by Annex 9 to the Convention (Facilitation) may affect the exercise of rights under this Agreement;

                     (j)

                     fostering expert-level exchanges on new legislative or regulatory initiatives and developments, including in the fields of security, safety, the environment, aviation infrastructure (including slots), and consumer protection;

                     (k)

                     fostering consultation, where appropriate, on air transport issues dealt with in international organisations and in relations with third countries, including consideration of whether to adopt a joint approach; and

                     (l)

                     taking, on the basis of consensus, the decisions to which paragraph 3 of Article 1 of Annex 4 and paragraph 3 of Article 2 of Annex 4 refer.

               5.   The Parties share the goal of maximising the benefits for consumers, airlines, labour, and communities on both sides of the Atlantic by extending this Agreement to include third countries. To this end, the Joint Committee shall consider, as appropriate, the conditions and procedures, including any necessary amendments to this Agreement, that would be required for additional third countries to accede to this Agreement.’

      Article 6
      Further Expansion of Opportunities
      Article 21 shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

         ‘Article 21
         Further Expansion of Opportunities
         1.   The Parties commit to the shared goal of continuing to remove market access barriers in order to maximise benefits for consumers, airlines, labour, and communities on both sides of the Atlantic, including enhancing the access of their airlines to global capital markets, so as better to reflect the realities of a global aviation industry, the strengthening of the transatlantic air transportation system, and the establishment of a framework that will encourage other countries to open up their own air services markets.
         2.   Pursuant to the shared goal in paragraph 1, and in fulfilling its responsibilities pursuant to Article 18 to oversee implementation of this Agreement, the Joint Committee shall review annually developments, including towards the legislative changes referred to in this Article. The Joint Committee shall develop a process of cooperation in this regard including appropriate recommendations to the Parties. The European Union and its Member States shall allow majority ownership and effective control of their airlines by the United States or its nationals, on the basis of reciprocity, upon confirmation by the Joint Committee that the laws and regulations of the United States permit majority ownership and effective control of its airlines by the Member States or their nationals.
         3.   Upon written confirmation by the Joint Committee, in accordance with paragraph 6 of Article 18, that the laws and regulations of each Party permit majority ownership and effective control of its airlines by the other Party or its nationals:

                     (a)

                     Section 3 of Annex 1 to the Agreement shall cease to have effect;

                     (b)

                     airlines of the United States shall have the right to provide scheduled passenger combination services between points in the European Union and its Member States and five countries, without serving a point in the territory of the United States. These countries shall be determined by the Joint Committee within one year from the date of signature of this Protocol. The Joint Committee may amend the list, or increase the number, of such countries; and

                     (c)

                     the text of Article 2 of Annex 4 to the Agreement (“Ownership and Control of Third-Country Airlines”) shall cease to have effect and the text of Annex 6 to the Agreement shall take effect in its place, with regard to third-country airlines owned and controlled by the United States or its nationals.

               4.   Upon written confirmation by the Joint Committee, in accordance with paragraph 6 of Article 18, that the laws and regulations of the European Union and its Member States with regard to the imposition of noise-based operating restrictions at airports having more than 50 000 annual movements of civil subsonic jet aeroplanes provide that the European Commission has the authority to review the process prior to the imposition of such measures, and, where it is not satisfied that the appropriate procedures have been followed in accordance with applicable obligations, to take in that case, prior to their imposition, appropriate legal action regarding the measures in question:

                     (a)

                     airlines of the European Union shall have the right to provide scheduled passenger combination services between points in the United States and five additional countries, without serving a point in the territory of the European Union and its Member States. These countries shall be determined by the Joint Committee within one year from the date of signature of this Protocol. The Joint Committee may amend the list, or increase the number, of such countries; and

                     (b)

                     the text of Article 2 of Annex 4 to the Agreement (“Ownership and Control of Third-Country Airlines”) shall cease to have effect and the text of Annex 6 to the Agreement shall take effect in its place, with regard to third-country airlines owned and controlled by Member States or their nationals.

               5.   Following written confirmation by the Joint Committee that a Party has met the conditions of paragraphs 3 and 4 that are applicable to that Party, that Party may request high-level consultations regarding the implementation of this Article. Such consultations shall commence within 60 days of the date of delivery of the request, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties. The Parties shall make every effort to resolve the matters referred to consultation. If the Party requesting consultations is dissatisfied with the outcome of the consultations, that Party may give notice in writing through diplomatic channels of its decision that no airline of the other Party shall operate additional frequencies or enter new markets under this Agreement. Any such decision shall take effect 60 days from the date of notification. Within that period, the other Party may decide that no airline of the first Party shall operate additional frequencies or enter new markets under the Agreement. Such a decision shall take effect on the same day as the decision by the first Party. Any such decision by a Party may be lifted by agreement of the Parties, which shall be confirmed in writing by the Joint Committee.’

      Article 7
      US Government Procured Transportation
      Annex 3 to the Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

            ‘ANNEX 3
            Concerning US Government Procured Transportation
            Community airlines shall have the right to transport passengers and cargo on scheduled and charter flights for which a US Government civilian department, agency, or instrumentality:

                        (1)

                        obtains the transportation for itself or in carrying out an arrangement under which payment is made by the Government or payment is made from amounts provided for the use of the Government; or

                        (2)

                        provides the transportation to or for a foreign country or international or other organisation without reimbursement,

                  and that transportation is:

                        (a)

                        between any point in the United States and any point outside the United States, to the extent such transportation is authorised under subparagraph 1(c) of Article 3, except – with respect to passengers who are eligible to travel on city-pair contract fares – between points for which there is a city-pair contract fare in effect; or

                        (b)

                        between any two points outside the United States.

                  This Annex shall not apply to transportation obtained or funded by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of a military department.’

      Article 8
      Annexes
      The text of the Attachment to this Protocol shall be appended to the Agreement as Annex 6.
      Article 9
      Provisional Application
      1.   Pending its entry into force, the Parties agree to provisionally apply this Protocol, to the extent permitted under applicable domestic law, from the date of signature.
      2.   Either Party may at any time give notice in writing through diplomatic channels to the other Party of a decision to no longer apply this Protocol. In that event, application of this Protocol shall cease at midnight GMT at the end of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) traffic season in effect one year following the date of written notification, unless notice is withdrawn by agreement of the Parties before the end of this period. In the event that provisional application of the Agreement ceases pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 25 of the Agreement, provisional application of this Protocol shall cease simultaneously.
      Article 10
      Entry into Force
      This Protocol shall enter into force on the later of:

                  1.

                  the date of entry into force of the Agreement; and

                  2.

                  one month after the date of the last note in an exchange of diplomatic notes between the Parties confirming that all necessary procedures for entry into force of this Protocol have been completed.

            For purposes of this exchange of diplomatic notes, diplomatic notes to or from the European Union and its Member States shall be delivered to or from, as the case may be, the European Union. The diplomatic note or notes from the European Union and its Member States shall contain communications from each Member State confirming that its necessary procedures for entry into force of this Protocol have been completed.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorised, have signed this Agreement.
         Съставено в Люксембург на двадесет и четвърти юни две хиляди и десета година.
         Hecho en Luxemburgo, el veinticuatro de junio de dos mil diez.
         V Lucemburku dne dvacátého čtvrtého června dva tisíce deset.
         Udfærdiget i Luxembourg den fireogtyvende juni to tusind og ti.
         Geschehen zu Luxemburg am vierundzwanzigsten Juni zweitausendzehn.
         Kahe tuhande kümnenda aasta juunikuu kahekümne neljandal päeval Luxembourgis.
         'Εγινε στo Λουξεμβούργο, στις είκοσι τέσσερις Ιουνίου δύο χιλιάδες δέκα.
         Done at Luxembourg on the twenty-fourth day of June in the year two thousand and ten.
         Fait à Luxembourg, le vingt-quatre juin deux mille dix.
         Fatto a Lussemburgo, addì ventiquattro giugno duemiladieci.
         Luksemburgā, divi tūkstoši desmitā gada divdesmit ceturtajā jūnijā.
         Priimta du tūkstančiai dešimtų metų birželio dvidešimt ketvirtą dieną Liuksemburge.
         Kelt Luxembourgban, a kétezer-tizedik év június havának huszonnegyedik napján.
         Magħmul fil-Lussemburgu, fl-erbgħa u għoxrin jum ta' Ġunju tas-sena elfejn u għaxra.
         Gedaan te Luxemburg, de vierentwintigste juni tweeduizend tien.
         Sporządzono w Luksemburgu dnia dwudziestego czwartego czerwca roku dwa tysiące dziesiątego.
         Feito no Luxemburgo, em vinte e quatro de Junho de dois mil e dez.
         Întocmit la Luxemburg, la douăzeci și patru iunie două mii zece.
         V Luxemburgu dňa dvadsiateho štvrtého júna dvetisícdesať.
         V Luxembourgu, dne štiriindvajsetega junija leta dva tisoč deset.
         Tehty Luxemburgissa kahdentenakymmenentenäneljäntenä päivänä kesäkuuta vuonna kaksituhattakymmenen.
         Som skedde i Luxemburg den tjugofjärde juni tjugohundratio.

            За Репyблика Бългaрия

            Voor het Koninkrijk België
            Pour le Royaume de Belgique
            Für das Königreich Belgien

            Deze handtekening verbindt eveneens het Vlaamse Gewest, het Waalse Gewest en het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest.
            Cette signature engage également la Région wallonne, la Région flamande et la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale.
            Diese Unterschrift bindet zugleich die Wallonische Region, die Flämische Region und die Region Brüssel-Hauptstadt.

            Za Českou republiku

            På Kongeriget Danmarks vegne

            Für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland

            Eesti Vabariigi nimel

            Για την Ελληνική Δημοκρατία

            Por el Reino de España

            Pour la République française

            Thar cheann Na hÉireann
            For Ireland

            Per la Repubblica italiana

            Για την Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία

            Latvijas Republikas vārdā

            Lietuvos Respublikos vardu

            Pour le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg

            A Magyar Köztársaság részéről

            Għal Malta

            Voor het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

            Für die Republik Österreich

            W imieniu Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej

            Pela República Portuguesa

            Pentru România

            Za Republiko Slovenijo

            Za Slovenskύ republiku

            Suomen tasavallan puolesta

            För Konungariket Sverige

            For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

            За Европейския съюз
            Por la Unión Europea
            Za Evropskou unii
            For Den Europæiske Union
            Für die Europäische Union
            Euroopa Liidu nimel
            Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση
            For the European Union
            Pour l’Union européenne
            Per l’Unione europea
            Eiropas Savienības vārdā
            Europos Sajungos vardu
            Az Európai Unió részéről
            Għall-Unjoni Ewropea
            Voor de Europese Unie
            W imieniu Unii Europejskiej
            Pela União Europeia
            Pentru Uniunea Europeană
            Za Eurόpsku úniu
            Za Evropsko unijo
            Euroopan unionin puolesta
            För Europeiska unionen

            For the United States of America

         Attachment to the Protocol

            ANNEX 6

               Ownership and Control of Third Country Airlines

                        1.

                        Neither Party shall exercise any available rights under air services arrangements with a third country to refuse, revoke, suspend or limit authorisations or permissions for any airlines of that third country on the grounds that substantial ownership of that airline is vested in the other Party, its nationals, or both.

                        2.

                        The United States shall not exercise any available rights under air services arrangements to refuse, revoke, suspend or limit authorisations or permissions for any airline of the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Swiss Confederation, a member of the ECAA as of the date of signature of this Agreement, or any country in Africa that is implementing an Open-Skies air services agreement with the United States as of the date of signature of this Agreement, on the grounds that effective control of that airline is vested in a Member State or States, nationals of such a state or states, or both.

                        3.

                        Neither Party shall exercise available rights under air services arrangements with a third country to refuse, revoke, suspend or limit authorisations or permissions for any airlines of that third country on the grounds that effective control of that airline is vested in the other Party, its nationals, or both, provided that the third country in question has established a record of cooperation in air services relations with both Parties.

                        4.

                        The Joint Committee shall maintain an inventory of third countries that are considered by both Parties to have established a record of cooperation in air services relations.

         Joint Declaration
         Representatives of the United States and of the European Union and its Member States confirmed that the Protocol to Amend the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America and the European Community and its Member States, initialled in Brussels on 25 March 2010, is to be authenticated in other languages, as provided either by Exchange of Letters, before signature of the Protocol, or by decision of the Joint Committee, after signature of the Protocol.
         This Joint Declaration is an integral part of the Protocol.

               For the United States:
               John BYERLY (signed)
               25 March 2010

               For the European Union and its Member States:
               Daniel CALLEJA (signed)
               25 March 2010

         MEMORANDUM OF CONSULTATIONS

                     1.

                     Delegations representing the European Union and its Member States and the United States met in Brussels 23-25 March 2010 to complete negotiations of a second stage air transport agreement. Delegation lists are appended as Attachment A.

                     2.

                     The delegations reached ad referendum agreement on, and initialled the text of, a Protocol to Amend the Air Transport Agreement between the United States and the European Community and its Member States, signed on 25 and 30 April 2007 (the ‘Protocol’, appended as Attachment B). The delegations intend to submit the draft Protocol to their respective authorities for approval, with the goal of its entry into force in the near future.

                     3.

                     References in this Memorandum to the Agreement and to articles, paragraphs, and annexes are to the Agreement, as it would be amended by the Protocol.

                     4.

                     The EU delegation confirmed that as a consequence of the entry into force on 1 December 2009 of the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, the European Union replaced and succeeded the European Community and that, as of that date, all the rights and obligations of, and all the references to, the European Community in the Agreement refer to the European Union.

                     5.

                     The delegations affirmed that the procedures for reciprocal recognition of regulatory determinations with regard to airline fitness and citizenship in the new Article 6 bis are not intended to modify the conditions prescribed under the laws and regulations normally applied by the Parties to the operation of international air transportation referred to in Article 4 of the Agreement.

                     6.

                     With respect to Article 9, the delegations expressed their desire to further EU/US cooperation on aviation security, with the aim of achieving, wherever possible, maximum reliance on each other’s security measures, consistent with applicable laws and regulations, to reduce unnecessary duplication of such measures.

                     7.

                     The delegations noted that security cooperation is expected to include regular consultations on amendments to existing requirements, where feasible prior to their implementation; close coordination of airport assessment activities and, where possible and appropriate, air carrier inspections; and exchange of information on new security technologies and procedures.

                     8.

                     With a view to fostering efficient use of the resources available, enhancing security, and promoting facilitation, the delegations noted the benefit of swift and, wherever possible, coordinated responses to new threats.

                     9.

                     Both delegations noted that the provisions of the respective conventions in force between a Member State and the United States for the avoidance of double taxation on income and on capital remain unaffected by the Protocol.

                     10.

                     With respect to paragraph 7 of Article 15, the EU delegation noted that the issues to be addressed by any work in this area would be expected to include, among other things, the environmental effectiveness and technical integrity of the respective measures, the need to avoid competitive distortion and carbon leakage and, where appropriate, whether and how such measures may be linked or integrated with each other. The US delegation noted that in developing recommendations, it would expect to focus, inter alia, on consistency with the Chicago Convention and the promotion of the objectives of the Agreement.

                     11.

                     The two delegations emphasised that nothing in the Agreement affects in any way their respective legal and policy positions on various aviation-related environmental issues.

                     12.

                     In recognition of shared environmental objectives, the delegations developed a Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation appended as Attachment C to this Memorandum of Consultations.

                     13.

                     The EU delegation restated the EU’s intention to continue to work through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to establish global emissions reduction targets for international aviation.

                     14.

                     The US and EU delegations restated the US and EU intentions to work through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to address greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation. Both delegations also noted the contributions from industry in support of this process.

                     15.

                     Both delegations noted that the references to the balanced approach in paragraph 4 of Article 15 refer to Resolution A35-5 unanimously adopted at the 35th ICAO Assembly. The delegations emphasised that all aspects of the balanced approach principle established in that Resolution are relevant and important, including the recognition that ‘States have relevant legal obligations, existing agreements, current laws and established policies which may influence their implementation of the ICAO balanced approach’.

                     16.

                     Both delegations underscored their support for applying ICAO’s ‘Guidance on the Balanced Approach to Aircraft Noise’, which is currently published in ICAO Document 9829 (2nd edition).

                     17.

                     With regard to paragraph 5(a) of Article 15, the EU delegation noted that ‘interested parties’ is defined in Article 2(f) of Directive 2002/30/EC to mean ‘natural or legal persons affected or likely to be affected by, or having a legitimate interest in the introduction of, noise reduction measures, including operating restrictions’. The EU delegation also noted that, pursuant to Article 10 of that Directive, Member States must ensure that, for the application of Articles 5 and 6 of that Directive, procedures for consultation of interested parties are established in accordance with applicable national law.

                     18.

                     Recognising the challenges related to the increasing cross-border mobility of workers and structure of companies, the EU delegation noted that the European Commission is closely monitoring the situation and is considering further initiatives in order to improve implementation, application, and enforcement in this area. The EU delegation also referred to the work being undertaken by the European Commission on transnational company agreements and stated its willingness to inform the Joint Committee about these and other related initiatives, as appropriate.

                     19.

                     The US delegation noted that, in the United States, the principle that allows for selection of a single representative for a defined class or craft of employees at an airline has helped promote rights for both airline flight and ground workers to organise themselves and to negotiate and enforce collective bargaining agreements.

                     20.

                     Both delegations noted that, in the event that a Party would take measures contrary to the Agreement, including Article 21, the other Party may avail itself of any appropriate and proportional measures in accordance with international law, including the Agreement.

                     21.

                     In relation to paragraph 4 of Article 21, the EU delegation noted that the review referred to in that paragraph will be exercised by the European Commission ex officio or ex parte.

                     22.

                     The delegations noted that the traffic rights referred to in paragraph 4(a) of Article 21 would be in addition to those granted to the European Union and its Member States in Article 3 of the Agreement.

                     23.

                     The delegations expressed their satisfaction with the cooperation between the US Department of Transportation and the European Commission, as provided for in the Agreement, with the shared objective of improving each other’s understanding of the laws, procedures and practices of each other’s competition regimes and the impact that developments in the air transportation industry have had, or are likely to have, on competition in the sector.

                     24.

                     The delegations affirmed the commitment of the respective competition authorities to dialogue and cooperation and to the principle of transparency, consistent with legal requirements, including the protection of confidential commercial information. The delegations further affirmed the willingness of the respective competition authorities to provide guidance on procedural requirements, where appropriate.

                     25.

                     The delegations noted that any communication to the Joint Committee or elsewhere relating to the cooperation under Annex 2 must respect the rules governing disclosure of confidential or market-sensitive information.

                     26.

                     For the purposes of paragraph 4 of Annex 6, the delegations expressed their expectation that the Joint Committee will develop, within one year of signature of the Protocol, appropriate criteria for determining whether countries have established a record of cooperation in air services relations.

                     27.

                     The delegations welcomed the participation of representatives of Iceland and Norway as observers on the EU delegation and noted that work will continue in the Joint Committee to develop a proposal regarding conditions and procedures for Iceland and Norway to accede to the Agreement, as amended by the Protocol.

                     28.

                     Both delegations expressed their expectation that their respective aeronautical authorities would permit operations consistent with the terms of the Agreement, as amended by the Protocol, on the basis of comity and reciprocity, or on an administrative basis, from the date of signature of the Protocol.

                  For the Delegation of the European Union and its Member States

               Daniel CALLEJA

                  For the Delegation of the United States of America

               John BYERLY

            Attachment C

               Joint Statement on Environmental Cooperation

            The delegations of the United States and the European Union and its Member States reaffirmed the critical importance of addressing the environmental impacts of international aviation. They expressed their shared commitment to the environmental objectives established at the 35th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), namely to strive to:

                        (a)

                        limit or reduce the number of people affected by significant aircraft noise;

                        (b)

                        limit or reduce the impact of aviation emissions on local air quality; and

                        (c)

                        limit or reduce the impact of aviation greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate.

                  The delegations acknowledged the outcome of the 15th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Copenhagen Accord, including the shared recognition of the scientific view that the increase in global temperature should be below two degrees Celsius.
            The delegations confirmed the Parties’ strong desire and willingness to work together to build upon the progress achieved by the ICAO High Level Meeting on International Aviation and Climate Change by seeking to join with international partners in a collective effort at ICAO to establish a more ambitious program of action, including robust goals, a framework for market-based measures, and considerations for the special needs of developing countries.
            Both sides noted their commitment to cooperate within the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) to ensure the timely and effective delivery of its work programme, including adoption of a global aircraft CO2 standard and other measures on climate change, noise, and air quality.
            The delegations emphasised the importance of reducing the environmental impacts of aviation through:

                        —

                        continuing cooperation on the NextGen and SESAR air traffic management modernisation programmes, including the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE),

                        —

                        fostering and accelerating, as appropriate, the development and implementation of new aircraft technologies and sustainable alternative fuels, including through the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative, the Continuous Low Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) Program, the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), and the Sustainable Way for Alternative Fuel and Energy in Aviation (SWAFEA) initiative, and

                        —

                        collaborating with the scientific community through, for example, the CAEP Impacts and Science Group to better understand and quantify the effects of aviation on the environment, such as health and non-CO2 climate impacts.