Negotiations for an 'open skies' airline pact with the United States will not be completed in time for the EU-US summit in Ireland this weekend, according to European Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio.
European Union transport ministers rejected the US offer as it lacked any significant opening of US domestic routes to EU carriers. The US had agreed to let EU investors own up to 49% of voting stock in a US carrier, up from 25%. But it balked at allowing European firms access to US routes.
De Palacio said she would try to have further talks and reiterated that EU countries with their own bilateral airline deals would have to find a way to respect a court ruling which found such deals against EU law.
