EU-Georgia common aviation area agreement

SUMMARY OF:

Common aviation area agreement between the EU and its Member States and Georgia

Decision 2012/708/EU on the signature and provisional application of the common aviation area agreement between the EU and its Member States and Georgia

Decision (EU) 2020/948 on the conclusion, on behalf of the EU, of the common aviation area agreement between the EU and its Member States and Georgia

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISIONS?

The agreement opens the market for direct flights for all European Union (EU) and Georgian airlines between the EU and Georgia. It also provides a regulatory framework and sets out standards for a wide range of aviation issues with which Georgian law will be gradually aligned, such as aviation safety, security, passenger rights, air traffic management, economic regulation, competition issues and social aspects.
Decision 2012/708/EU authorised the signing and provisional application of the agreement.
Decision (EU) 2020/948 concluded the agreement on behalf of the EU.

KEY POINTS

The agreement covers 3 main areas of cooperation.

1.
Economic rules

The agreement sets out rules on a number of aspects of economic cooperation between the EU and Georgia, including:
- traffic rights — including the unlimited right to fly between the EU and Georgia 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;
- rules to ensure fair competition and facilitate business activities;
- rules on user charges for airport and aviation facilities and services.
2.
Regulatory cooperation (aviation safety, security and air traffic management)

Both parties must:
- conform with certain EU safety legislation, as listed in the annex to the agreement;
- recognise each other’s safety certificates;
- cooperate on security and work towards mutual recognition of one another’s security standards;
- cooperate in air traffic management with a view to extending the single European sky to Georgia, and conform with the EU 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 yearly, is responsible for administering the agreement and ensuring its proper implementation.
- The agreement includes a dispute resolution mechanism and foresees the possibility for either party to take safeguard measures in case of non-fulfilment of its obligations by the other party.

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 relations between the EU and its eastern neighbour countries in the context of the European Commission communication on developing the agenda for the EU’s external aviation policy.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part (OJ L 321, 20.11.2012, pp. 3-32)

Decision 2012/708/EU of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 15 October 2010 on the signature and provisional application of the Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part (OJ L 321, 20.11.2012, pp. 1-2)

Council Decision (EU) 2020/948 of 26 June 2020 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part (OJ L 212, 3.7.2020, pp. 3-4)