Brussels, 29 January 2025
The horizontal EU-Bangladesh air service agreement grants all EU airlines non-discriminatory access to routes between Bangladesh and the seven concerned EU member states whose bilateral air services agreements with Bangladesh do not already allow this (Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, France and Slovakia). Currently some of these agreements were not open for EU airlines controlled by nationals of other Member States, which was found contrary to EU law by European Court of Justice and rectified by a new horizontal agreement.
Negotiated in 2013, but then updated to take into account „Brexit“, the new EU-Bangladesh aviation agreement was finally signed in June 2024. Scrutinised by EP rapporteur Tomas Tobé (EPP, SE) and backed by 41 votes to two in Transport and tourism committee the agreement also includes standard EU clauses on aviation safety, aviation fuel taxation and compatibility with competition.
Next steps
The full house of the Parliament is set to vote on the horizontal EU-Bangladesh air service agreement during the next plenary sessions in February. Pending its entry into force, the new agreement provisionally applies in Belgium, Denmark, Italy and Netherlands.