OREANDA-NEWS. June 17, 2011. The EU Transport Council on 16 June approved a mandate for the launch of negotiations with Moldova on an agreement on the development of a common airspace, Prime Minister Vlad Filat told a news briefing today.

Filat said that a national team of negotiators will be set up and the negotiations will start in the days to come. The government aims at completing the negotiations by late 2011, so that Moldova become a component part of the European airspace, Filat said.

In the context, the Transport and Road Infrastructure Ministry (MTID) announced that the European Commission is to set the date for the launch of negotiations with Moldova and probably the talks will be held in Chisinau.

According to the MTID, the signing of an agreement on free air services with the European Union will make it possible for the local airlines to expand their activities in the European space, will stimulate competition on the air market, will improve the quality of services provided, will allow rising the flow of tourists and reducing the prices of airline tickets.

All the Moldovan air companies will benefit from accession to the EU common airspace and new opportunities for the development of the airports in Chisinau, Balti, Marculesti and Cahul will open up.

The MTID also emphasized the importance and the need to complete the institutional reform in the civil aviation sector, by creating a Civil Aviation Authority, before starting the negotiations with the European Commission.