EU–Canada air transport agreement

KEY POINTS

The agreement provides for an exchange of air traffic rights between the parties. Thanks to those traffic rights, the air carriers of the parties will be able to:

• fly across the territory of the other party without landing;
• make stops in the territory of the other party for non-traffic purposes;
• make stops in the territory of the other party on the routes specified in the agreement for the purpose of taking up and discharging traffic in passenger and cargo, including mail, separately or in combination.

The agreement also covers:

• the designation of airlines;
• the authorisation of airlines and the revocation of the authorisations that may be granted to them;
• civil aviation safety — including the mutual recognition of certificates and licences issued by either party for the purpose of the provision of air services under the agreement;
• civil aviation security — including working towards mutual recognition of each other’s security standards and with a view to one-stop security;
• customs duties, taxes and charges exemptions — reciprocal agreement to exempt airlines of the other party of all import restrictions, property taxes and capital levies, customs duties, excise taxes, and similar fees and charges for items used in international air transport;
• non-discrimination as regards charges for airports and aviation facilities and services;
• An improved commercial framework — including the removal of restrictions on capacity, the free establishment of tariffs by the airlines, as well as provisions on code-sharing¹ and aircraft lease among others;
• consumer interests;
• air traffic management;
• competition and state aid.