ASEAN, E.U. sign world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement

The ASEAN, European Union (E.U.) and their member states signed the Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (ASEAN - E.U. CATA) at the 28th ASEAN Transport Ministers’ Meeting in Bali, Indonesia on October 17.

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At the signing ceremony

The ASEAN - E.U. CATA is the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement and reflects the latest policy thinking in air transport regulation. Negotiations on the agreement commenced in 2016 and concluded on June 2, 2021.

Budi Karya Sumadi, Minister of Transportation of Indonesia, said the signing of the agreement will create more harmonious synergies to accelerate economic recovery, especially air connectivity between ASEAN and Europe, and will re-invigorate the global economy, in particular in the ASEAN and E.U. regions.

Adina Vălean, the European Commissioner for Transport, said the signing of the first-ever region-to-region air transport agreement between the E.U. and ASEAN brings bilateral aviation partnership to a new level. The agreement will help support the aviation sector’s recovery post-COVID-19, and restore much-needed connectivity between the two regions, to the benefit of some 1.1 billion people.

ASEAN - E.U. CATA also provides a foundation for closer cooperation between ASEAN and the E.U. in areas such as aviation safety, air traffic management, consumer protection, and environmental and social matters.

Source: VNA