Lanka-EU air services agreement signed

Sri Lanka and the European Union (EU) last Friday signed an agreement on Certain Aspects of Air Services, which is commonly known as the 'Horizontal' Air Services Agreement, at the European Council in Brussels, Belgium.

Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the European Union P.M. Amza signed the agreement on behalf of Sri Lanka, while Deputy Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the EU George Zodiates and Director Aviation and Transport Affairs Matthew Baldwin signed the agreement on behalf of the EU Presidency and the European Commission.

Ambassador Zodiates said this agreement will bring certain provisions of bilateral air service agreements signed between Sri Lanka and the EU Member States in line with the prevailing EU law. He said this agreement enables reciprocal growth in the aviation sector and further enhance opportunities for tourism and technical and bilateral cooperation between the two parties.

Baldwin, recalling the intensive negotiations that lead to concluding this agreement, expressed hope that it would open a path for development of EU-Sri Lanka relations. Ambassador Amza noted that the aviation sector between the EU and Sri Lanka witnessed a significant growth over the past years and the new agreement would make an important contribution to the expansion of the civil aviation sector. This agreement will also strengthen the bilateral platform of existing air services agreements between Sri Lanka and EU Member States, enabling Sri Lanka's National carrier to expand its services to new destinations in the EU Member States.