The Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Union have adopted a decision on the signing and provisional application of the Protocol to Amend the Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part. The decision has been published in OJ on 25th August 2010.

The Air Transport Agreement between the United States and the European Community and its Member States has the goal of opening access to markets and maximising benefits for consumers, airlines, labour, and communities on both sides of the Atlantic.

This agreement generates new commercial opportunities and strengthens the framework of cooperation on issues such as the environment, social protection, competition, and security. Furthermore, it creates the prospect of additional investment and market access opportunities in the future.

The Agreement was signed on 30 April 2007 at the EU-US Transatlantic Summit in Washington. It replaces 21 bilateral agreements between Member States and the United States with their nationality restrictions. 

On Sunday 30th March 2008, the new EU-US Air Transport Agreement took effect. With this agreement European airlines can fly without restrictions from any point in the EU to any point in the US.

After that in Luxembourg on June 24th, Transport ministers from Member states, Vice-president Kallas and US Ambassador in Luxembourg, signed the Second Stage Open Skies agreement.