Ukraine and the European Union have signed an agreement on the Common Aviation Area
Photo AFP
Ukraine and the European Union have signed a long-awaited agreement on the Common Aviation Area, known as the Open Skies Agreement.
According to Yevropeiska Pravda, the signing ceremony took place as part of the EU-Ukraine Summit on October 12 in Kyiv.
On the Ukrainian side, the agreement was signed by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, on the EU side, by Foreign Minister Josep Borrell and Slovenian Ambassador to Ukraine Tomaž Mencin.
The Open Skies Agreement aims to equalize the rights of Ukrainian and European airlines, lift the monopoly on certain routes established by bilateral agreements, facilitate the opening of new routes between Ukrainian and European cities, and, as a result, reduce ticket prices.
The EU emphasizes that one of the consequences of signing the agreement should be the entry of new low-cost airlines into Ukraine and increase the tourist attractiveness of Ukraine.
The agreement was initialed in 2013 but hasn't yet been signed due to a British-Spanish dispute over Gibraltar's ownership.
The signing was expected on February 11 in Brussels, but in early February the President's Office said the signing had failed.
On June 28, the EU Council agreed to sign a Common Aviation Area Agreement with three countries, including Ukraine.
