RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision 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

23.4.2020 - (14207/2019 – C9‑0196/2019 – 2012/0324(NLE)) - ***

Committee on Transport and Tourism
Rapporteur: Andor Deli

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the draft Council decision 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

(14207/2019 – C9‑0196/2019 – 2012/0324(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the draft Council decision (14207/2019),

– having regard to the draft 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 (16828/2012),

– having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Articles 100(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), and Article 218(7), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9‑0196/2019),

– having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A9-0085/2020),

1. Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement;

2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Israel.

 

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Procedure

 

In April 2008, the Council authorised the European Commission to start the negotiations on a Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States as one party, and the State of Israel as the other party (“the Agreement”). The agreement was signed on 10 June 2013, and published in the Official Journal on 2 August 2013[1].

 

Since that date, and pending its entry into force, the Agreement has been administratively applied by the aeronautical authorities of both parties. The Agreement establishes also a Joint Committee, composed of representatives of the Contracting Parties, which has been meeting on a preliminary and yearly basis since the date of signature to analyse market evolution, discuss the bilateral aviation relations and “doing business issues” and ensure proper implementation of the Agreement.

 

In April 2016, the European Parliament was already involved in the procedure related to the Agreement because it gave its consent to the protocol on the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Agreement[2][3].

In May 2019, the last Member State ratified the Agreement. Therefore, the Council has now requested the European Parliament’s consent, in compliance with Article 218 TFEU.

 

In accordance with Rules 105 and 114 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the Committee responsible (TRAN) shall submit a recommendation for the approval or rejection of the proposed act.  Amendments at Committee level shall be admissible only with the aim to reverse the recommendation proposed by the rapporteur. Parliament shall then take a decision by means of a single vote, and no amendments to the agreement may be tabled.

 

Content

 

During its administrative application, the Agreement proved to be an important step in the implementation of an ambitious EU external policy. It generated considerable benefits to both sides, and greatly increased connectivity between the EU and Israel with nearly 70 new city pairs being served since the signature of the agreement.

 

Furthermore, like all EU comprehensive aviation agreements signed with “neighbourhood” countries, this Agreement provides for very close regulatory convergence of Israel with the EU aviation acquis, effectively anchoring Israel in the EU aviation regulatory framework.

 

Finally – contrary to the bilateral agreement between individual Member States and Israel, which this Agreement superseded – it contains specific safeguards regarding fair competition, respect of labour and social standards, protection of passenger rights and cooperation in the field of environment thereby creating a comprehensive regulatory framework for aviation relations between the EU and Israel.

 

PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Title	Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between the EU and Israel
References	13521/2013 – C7-0382/2013 – 2012/0324(NLE)
Date of consultation / request for consent	24.10.2013
Committee responsible  Date announced in plenary	TRAN 18.11.2013
Committees asked for opinions  Date announced in plenary	AFET 18.11.2013	INTA 18.11.2013
Not delivering opinions  Date of decision	AFET 6.11.2019	INTA 18.7.2019
Rapporteurs  Date appointed	Andor Deli 1.10.2019
Date adopted	21.4.2020
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	47 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Magdalena Adamowicz, Andris Ameriks, José Ramón Bauzá Díaz, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Marco Campomenosi, Ciarán Cuffe, Andor Deli, Karima Delli, Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg, Ismail Ertug, Gheorghe Falcă, Giuseppe Ferrandino, Mario Furore, Søren Gade, Isabel García Muñoz, Jens Gieseke, Elsi Katainen, Kateřina Konečná, Elena Kountoura, Julie Lechanteux, Bogusław Liberadzki, Peter Lundgren, Benoît Lutgen, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Marian-Jean Marinescu, Tilly Metz, Giuseppe Milazzo, Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar, Caroline Nagtegaal, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Philippe Olivier, Rovana Plumb, Tomasz Piotr Poręba, Dominique Riquet, Massimiliano Salini, Sven Schulze, Vera Tax, Barbara Thaler, István Ujhelyi, Petar Vitanov, Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi, Lucia Vuolo, Roberts Zīle, Kosma Złotowski
Substitutes present for the final vote	Clare Daly, Maria Grapini, Maximilian Krah
Date tabled	23.4.2020

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

47	+
ECR	Peter Lundgren, Tomasz Piotr Poręba, Roberts Zīle, Kosma Złotowski
GUE/NGL	Clare Daly, Kateřina Konečná, Elena Kountoura
ID	Marco Campomenosi, Maximilian Krah, Julie Lechanteux, Philippe Olivier, Lucia Vuolo
NI	Mario Furore
PPE	Magdalena Adamowicz, Andor Deli, Gheorghe Falcă, Jens Gieseke, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Benoît Lutgen, Marian‑Jean Marinescu, Giuseppe Milazzo, Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar, Massimiliano Salini, Sven Schulze, Barbara Thaler, Elissavet Vozemberg‑Vrionidi
RENEW	José Ramón Bauzá Díaz, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Søren Gade, Elsi Katainen, Caroline Nagtegaal, Jan‑Christoph Oetjen, Dominique Riquet
S&D	Andris Ameriks, Maria Grapini, Ismail Ertug, Giuseppe Ferrandin, Isabel García Muñoz, Bogusław Liberadzki, Rovana Plumb, Vera Tax, István Ujhelyi, Petar Vitanov
VERTS/ALE	Ciarán Cuffe, Karima Delli, Anna Deparnay‑Grunenberg, Tilly Metz

 

0	-

 

0	0

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

• [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:22013A0802(01)&from=EN
• [2] P8_TA(2016)0139
• [3] With its accession to the European Union, the Republic of Croatia accedes to agreements concluded or signed by the EU Member States and the Union with one or more third countries by means of protocols to those agreements.