KUALA LUMPUR: The European Union (EU) hopes Malaysia will join the 36 EU and other Asean states in ratifying the Asean-EU Comprehensive Air Traffic Agreement (AE CATA), the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement.
The agreement, which Malaysia signed on Oct 17 last year, aims to bolster connectivity and economic development among member states of the two regional blocs.
EU’s ambassador to Malaysia, Michalis Rokas, said the door was open for Malaysia “to come onboard”, adding that the country should consider the immense opportunities beyond better air connectivity and linkages that the agreement would bring to its signatories.
He hoped Malaysia would ratify the agreement and benefit from it.
“We have not excluded Malaysia. On the contrary, we want Malaysia to be in as soon as possible,” he told Bernama when met here recently.
Rokas said with thousands of European companies currently operating in Malaysia and 40% of EU’s goods travelling through Malaysia’s international waters, the country was an important gateway for the EU to the Asean market.
Malaysia is home to key aeronautical industrial activities by Airbus and hosts some of the biggest European corporations such as Ericsson, Siemens, Nokia, Braun and Volvo.
Signed in Bali, Indonesia by all 27 EU member states and 10 Asean members, the AE CATA provides a foundation for closer cooperation between the two blocs in areas such as aviation safety, air traffic management, consumer protection, environment and social matters.
The agreement replaced all EU member states’ bilateral aviation agreements with the 10 Asean member states and provides a single, modern framework for air services between the EU and Asean.
The EU is one of Malaysia’s biggest trading partners, with two-way trade in 2022 exceeding RM216 billion, and with Malaysia enjoying a large trade surplus. - FMT
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