The ASEAN-EU CATA is the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement and reflects the latest policy thinking in air transport regulation.
Negotiations on the agreement commenced in 2016 and concluded on 2 June 2021 at the Extraordinary ASEAN-EU Senior Transport Officials Meeting. This was followed by legal scrubbing and translation of the text in preparation for signature.
The agreement will provide greater opportunities for airlines of ASEAN and the EU to operate passenger and cargo services between and beyond both regions, which will help bolster the recovery of air connectivity between the two regions following the COVID-19 pandemic. Passengers can look forward to a greater variety of destinations, more flight frequencies, and more travel options between South-East Asia and Europe.
Under the ASEAN-EU CATA, airlines of ASEAN and the EU will be able to fly any number of services between both regions. In addition, airlines of each country of one bloc will be able to fly up to 14 weekly passenger services and any number of cargo services to each country of the other bloc with 5th freedom traffic rights, via any third country or beyond to any third country.
Find out more information here in the Joint Press Release.
