First Two VocMat Modules Given Thumbs Up

Brussels, 30 November 2006. At it’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Brussels today, the International Air Carrier Association voiced serious concerns about the direction of EU air transport policy and called upon European decision-makers to urgently adopt a more balanced approach.

The Annual General Meeting which brought together senior executives from leisure airlines to engage in a dialogue with the European Commission and European Parliament, addressed the perception that air transport is frequently treated as the EU’s ‘least favourite mode of transport.’

IACA members urged regulators to accord utmost priority in 2007 to introducing measures to oblige monopolistic service providers - airports & ANSPs - to dramatically increase efficiency.

Mr. Zoltan Kazatsay, Deputy Director General of DG Transport at the European Commission informed the AGM that the upcoming directive on airport charges would increase transparency of airport charges and improve consultation with users. However IACA carriers stressed that their key priority for this directive is to ensure the introduction of mechanisms to control the level of airport charges.
Discussions on the environment and the inclusion of aviation in an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) also ranked high on the agenda. IACA airlines welcomed reassurance from Robert Evans MEP, that the Transport and Tourism Committee of the European Parliament would play a leading role in counter-balancing the views and position of the Parliament’s Committee on the Environment.

Yet IACA carriers were forced to issue a serious warning concerning the Commission’s draft Impact Assessment on the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The current draft completely negates the consequences of an ETS on the competitiveness of airlines and as such would seriously mislead the Council and European Parliament.

IACA members nevertheless confirmed their commitment to pursue constructive dialogue with regulators and their willingness to cooperate with all bodies in the elaboration of a coherent policy for the air transport industry.

The AGM also ratified the membership of two new airline members, Deer Jet (China) and Freebird (Turkey). Mr. Román Pané, CEO Futura International Airways was re-elected as President of IACA and Mr. Armando Brunini Executive Vice-President Commercial Eurofly appointed Vice-President of IACA.

AGM Speakers:
Robert Evans: Member of European Parliament - MEP
TRAN Committee Member
Zoltan Kazatsay: Deputy Director General
Directorate for Energy and Transport, European Commission
Christoph Müller: Member of the Executive Board
TUI AG