THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 80(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(1),

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(2),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(3),

Whereas:

(1) A number of substantial changes are to be made to Council Regulations (EEC) No 2407/92 of 23 July 1992 on licensing of air carriers(4), (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access of Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes(5), and (EEC) No 2409/92 of 23 July 1992 on fares and rates for air services(6). In the interests of clarity, these Regulations should be recast and consolidated into one single Regulation.

(2) In order to ensure a more efficient and consistent application of Community legislation for the internal aviation market a series of adjustments to the current legal framework is required.

(3) Recognising the potential link between the financial health of an air carrier and safety, more stringent monitoring of the financial situation of air carriers should be established.

(4) Given the growing importance of air carriers with operational bases in several Member States and the need to ensure the efficient supervision of these air carriers, the same Member State should be responsible for the oversight of the air operator certificate and of the operating licence.

(5) To ensure consistent monitoring of the compliance with the requirements of the operating licences of all Community air carriers, licensing authorities should carry out regular assessments of the air carriers' financial situation. Therefore, the latter should provide sufficient information on their financial situation, especially in the first two years of their existence as these are particularly critical for the survival of an air carrier on the market. In order to avoid a distortion of competition arising from the different application of the rules at national level, it is necessary to reinforce the financial oversight of all Community air carriers by Member States.

(6) To reduce risks to passengers, Community air carriers failing to fulfil the requirements for maintaining a valid operating licence should not be allowed to continue operations. In such cases, the competent licensing authority should revoke or suspend the operating licence.

(7) According to Regulation (EC) No 785/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on insurance requirements for air carriers and aircraft operators(7) an air carrier should be insured to cover liability in case of accidents with respect to passengers, cargo and third parties. Obligations should also be placed upon air carriers for insurance to cover liability in case of accidents with respect to mail.

(8) In order to avoid excessive recourse to lease agreements of aircraft registered in third countries, especially wet lease, these possibilities should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances, such as a lack of adequate aircraft on the Community market, and they should be strictly limited in time and fulfil safety standards equivalent to the safety rules of Community and national legislation.

(9) With respect to employees of a Community air carrier operating air services from an operational base outside the territory of the Member State where that Community air carrier has its principal place of business, Member States should ensure the proper application of Community and national social legislation.

(10) In order to complete the internal aviation market, still existing restrictions applied between Member States, such as restrictions on the code sharing on routes to third countries or on the price setting on routes to third countries with an intermediate stop in another Member State (sixth freedom flights) should be lifted.

(11) To take into account the special characteristics and constraints of the outermost regions, in particular their remoteness, insularity and small size, and the need to properly link them with the central regions of the Community, special arrangements may be justified regarding the rules on the period of validity of the contracts for public service obligations covering routes to such regions.

(12) The conditions under which public service obligations may be imposed should be defined clearly in an unambiguous way, while the associated tender procedures should allow a sufficient number of competitors to take part in the tenders. The Commission should be able to obtain as much information as necessary to be able to assess the economic justifications for public service obligations in individual cases.

(13) The rules in force with regard to traffic distribution between airports serving the same city or conurbation should be clarified and simplified.

(14) It is appropriate to ensure that Member States have the possibility to react to sudden problems resulting from unforeseeable and unavoidable circumstances, which make it technically or practically very difficult to carry out air services.

(15) Customers should have access to all air fares and air rates irrespective of their place of residence within the Community or their nationality and irrespective of the place of establishment of the travel agents within the Community.

(16) Customers should be able to compare effectively the prices for air services of different airlines. Therefore the final price to be paid by the customer for air services originating in the Community should at all times be indicated, inclusive of all taxes, charges and fees. Community air carriers are also encouraged to indicate the final price for their air services from third countries to the Community.

(17) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(8).

(18) Since the objective of this Regulation, namely more homogeneous application of Community legislation with regard to the internal aviation market cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States because of the international character of air transport, and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.

(19) The Ministerial Statement on Gibraltar Airport, agreed in Cordoba on 18 September 2006, during the first ministerial meeting of the Forum of Dialogue on Gibraltar, will replace the Joint Declaration on the airport made in London on 2 December 1987, and full compliance with it will be deemed to constitute compliance with the 1987 declaration.

(20) It is therefore necessary to repeal Regulations (EEC) No 2407/92, (EEC) No 2408/92 and (EEC) No 2409/92,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: