Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement between the EU and Israel

SUMMARY OF:

Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement between the EU and its Member States of the one part and Israel of the other part

Decision 2013/398/EU on the signing, on behalf of the EU, and provisional application of the Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement between the EU and its Member States of the one part and Israel of the other part

Decision (EU) 2020/952 concluding, on behalf of the EU, the Euro-Mediterranean aviation agreement between the EU and its Member States of the one part and Israel of the other part

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND DECISIONS?

The agreement opens the market for direct flights for all European Union (EU) and Israeli airlines between the EU and Israel.
It also provides a regulatory framework and sets out standards for a wide range of aviation issues, such as aviation safety, security, passenger rights, air traffic management, economic regulation, competition issues and social aspects.
The 2013 decision (adopted by the Council in December 2012) authorised the signing and provisional application of the agreement; the 2020 decision concludes the agreement on behalf of the EU.

KEY POINTS

The agreement covers 3 main areas of cooperation:

1.
Economic rules

The agreements sets out rules on a number of aspects of economic cooperation between the EU and Israel, including:
- traffic rights including the unlimited right to fly between the EU and Israel or over the other party’s territory or to make a stop in the other party’s territory for non-traffic purposes;
- authorisations for air carriers of each party to operate in the territory of the other party;
- rules to ensure fair competition and to facilitate business activities;
- rules on user charges for airport and aviation facilities and services.
2.
Regulatory cooperation (aviation safety, security and air traffic management, etc.)

Both parties must:
- conform with certain EU safety legislation, as listed in the annex to the agreement;
- recognise one another’s safety certificates;
- cooperate on security and work towards mutual recognition of the parties’ security standards;
- cooperate in air traffic management with a view to extending the single European sky to Israel, and conform with the EU’s legislation on air traffic management, as listed in the annex to the agreement.
3.
Institutional rules (administration and enforcement)
- Each party is responsible for enforcing the rules of the agreement on its territory.
- A joint committee comprising representatives of both parties, and meeting at least once a year, is responsible for administering the agreement and ensuring its proper implementation.
- The agreement includes a dispute resolution mechanism and allows either party to take safeguard measures if the other party does not fulfil its obligations.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 2 August 2020.

BACKGROUND

This is one of a number of bilateral agreements strengthening air transport relations between the EU and neighbouring countries in the context of the European Commission communication Developing the agenda for the Community’s external aviation policy.

For more information, see also:

The EU’s external aviation policy — Addressing future challenges (European Commission)
The EU’s aviation strategy (European Commission)
External aviation policy (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part and the government of the State of Israel, of the other part (OJ L 208, 2.8.2013, pp. 3-67)

Successive amendments to the agreement have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Decision 2013/398/EU of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 20 December 2012 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Government of the State of Israel, of the other part (OJ L 208, 2.8.2013, pp. 1-2)

Council Decision (EU) 2020/952 of 26 June 2020 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the government of the State of Israel, of the other part (OJ L 212, 3.7.2020, pp. 10-11)