Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-10-11-Speech-4-011"
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"en.20071011.3.4-011"2
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"Madam President, first of all I would like to make an apology to you, to the Vice-President of the Commission and to honourable Members, because after I have made my speech I will have to leave the Chamber to do an interview. It is not my habit to do so, and I apologise for not staying for the rest of the debate.
I would like to thank my colleague, Mr El Khadraoui, for his report and warn him that he perhaps may beat my record of being the longest-serving rapporteur in parliamentary history if he continues with this particular dossier! Let us be honest. The marriage entered into between the European Union and the US in the form of the initial civil aviation Air Transport Agreement is a marriage of convenience, with the EU being the eager bridegroom and the US the very reluctant bride. Now, when we come to consummate the marriage, we find that the US bride finds that her EU bridegroom is not very fanciable, and, seeing as she has got all the best bits out of him on their wedding day, the US bride now cannot be bothered to consummate the marriage, because Representative Oberstar is standing over the couple, shotgun in hand.
Great differences exist between the EU and US on aviation policy, and I for one would not be surprised to hear, in the weeks and months to come, that negotiations on the second stage agreement have broken down because the US would not move on key issues. My fear is that the EU bridegroom is so desperate to consummate this marriage of convenience that we yet again give in to the reluctant bride. What about ETS and security, where the EU and US are worlds apart? What about foreign ownership of US airlines, or fifth freedom reciprocals? What about passenger lists and Chapter 11 protection? These are all issues that divide us, and, whilst I accept that there is a willingness to sit down and negotiate, it is always, it would appear to us, on the terms dictated to us by the Americans.
I wish everybody well in their efforts, and the PSE Group will vote in favour. However, I sincerely hope the negotiations are successful, and that a more balanced, reciprocal, fair agreement is forthcoming at the end of the road. But I question whether that will happen, because of US attitudes, and I ask whether the road that we are actually on will lead to this marriage of convenience ending in a Las Vegas-type divorce."@en1
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