COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION Developing a Common Aviation Area with the Republic of Azerbaijan
Date: 2011-08-30
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Azerbaijan, European neighbourhood policy, air safety, cooperation agreement (EU), freedom of the skies, pre-accession strategy

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 30.8.2011 
COM(2011) 527 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 

Developing a Common Aviation Area with the Republic of Azerbaijan 

 
 
 
 
  
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 

Developing a Common Aviation Area with the Republic of Azerbaijan 

1. 

INTRODUCTION  

In  its  2005  Communication  “Developing  the  agenda  for  the  Community’s  external 
aviation policy”1, the Commission highlighted the importance of creating a Common 
Aviation  Area  with  its  Eastern  and  Southern  neighbours.  The  ultimate  objective  of 
such a Common Aviation Area is to create a large and open aviation market that is 
based on common rules. In June 2005, the Council of the European Union supported 
this  objective  and  welcomed  the  progress  made  by  incorporating  EU  neighbouring 
countries into such a framework.2 

The  Commission  analysed  the  implementation  of  this  process  in  its  2008 
Communication “Common aviation area with the Neighbouring Countries by 2010: 
progress  report".3  It  concluded  that  this  process  has  shown  positive  results  and 
should  be  accelerated.  Furthermore,  the  Commission  has  in  July  2011  published  a 
Communication  "The  EU  and  its  neighbouring  regions:  A  renewed  approach  to 
transport  cooperation".4  This  Communication  reiterates  that  European  Common 
Aviation  Area  (ECAA)  policy  has  been  designed  to  allow  gradual  market  opening 
between the EU and its neighbours linked to regulatory convergence through gradual 
implementation  of  EU  rules.  The  process  of  market  opening  and  regulatory 
convergence take place in parallel in order to promote fair competition and the EU's 
safety,  security,  environmental  and  other  standards.  ECAA  is  implemented  through 
comprehensive air services agreements that promote the overall economic, trade and 
tourism  relations  and  offer  new  opportunities  for  operators  and  wider  choice  for 
consumers. Closer integration between the transport markets of the EU and those of 
the European Neighbourhood Policy countries can make transport connections faster, 
cheaper and more efficient, to the advantage of citizens and businesses. 

The enlargement of the European Union of 2004 and 2007 has further reinforced the 
interdependence  between  the  EU  and  its  neighbours.  In  June  2006,  the  EU  and  its 
Member  States  signed  the  European  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  with  the 
Western  Balkan  countries.  This  was  followed  by  the  signature  of  the  first  Euro-
Mediterranean Aviation Agreement with Morocco in December 2006. In December 
2010,  a  Euro-Mediterranean  Aviation  Agreement  was  signed  with  Jordan  and  a 
Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  was  signed  with  Georgia.  Negotiations  are 
ongoing with Ukraine, Lebanon, Israel and Moldova, and are expected with Tunisia 
in the near future. 

1 
2 

3 
4 

COM(2005) 79 final, 11 March 2005. 
Council  of  the  European  Union,  27  June  2005:  “Conclusions  on  developing  the  agenda  for  the 
Community’s external aviation policy”. 
COM(2008) 596 final, 1 October 2008. 
COM(2011) 415 final, 7 July 2011. 

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The creation of a wider Common Aviation Area creates benefits in various respects. 
It supports the: 

–  Implementation  of  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  by  facilitating  the 
development of an integrated aviation market and the creation of better transport 
links between all countries involved;  

–  Economic development of countries that have a perspective to become a member 

of the European Union; 

–  Promotion of high-level European aviation standards and thereby helps to secure 

high levels of aviation safety and aviation security across the wider region;  

–  Institutional  cooperation  between  the  responsible  authorities  such  as  on  aviation 

safety;  

–  Future  development  of  the  overall  European  aviation  industry  by  providing  a 

coherent regulatory framework for an enlarged market place. 

This  Communication  addresses  the  specific  issue  of  aviation  relations  between  the 
EU  and  the  Republic  of  Azerbaijan  (hereafter  Azerbaijan).  Given  its  geographical 
location, good air transport connections between Azerbaijan and the EU are crucial 
for the country's economic development. The strategic location at the crossroads of 
Europe  and  Asia  make  Azerbaijan  an  obvious  candidate  for  a  Common  Aviation 
Area Agreement with the EU. 

In  January  2011,  the  Azeri  authorities  expressed  their  interest  in  negotiating  a 
Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  with  the  EU.  Following  this,  an  economic 
analysis of the possible impact of concluding such an agreement was undertaken.5  

Based  on  this  work  which  is  summarised  in  this  Communication,  the  Commission 
recommends the Council to authorise the Commission to negotiate a comprehensive 
Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  with  Azerbaijan.  Following  the  logic  of  the 
agreements between the EU and other neighbouring countries, this should be based 
on  a  combination  of  gradual  market  opening  with  a  parallel  process  of  regulatory 
cooperation  and  gradual  harmonisation.  Priority  areas  should  be  market  opening, 
freedom of establishment, equal conditions of competition and common rules in the 
areas  of  aviation  safety,  aviation  security,  air  traffic  management,  social  conditions 
and environmental protection. In the Caucasus region, such an agreement has already 
been signed with Georgia. 

2. 

EU-AZERBAIJAN: POLITICAL RELATIONS  

Over the last decade, the EU and Azerbaijan have established a close relationship:  

–  The EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) was signed in 
1996 and entered into force in 1999.6 It covers a broad range of issues including 

5 

The economic study was done by Steer Davies Gleave, "Study on the economic benefit of a Common 
Aviation Area Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Azerbaijan", London, July 2011. 

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trade, economic cooperation and law approximation. According to the provisions 
on  law  approximation  (Article  43  of  the PCA),  Azerbaijan  shall  endeavour  to 
ensure that its legislation (including in the transport sector) will gradually be made 
compatible with that of the EU. The transport area and the need for Azerbaijan to 
restructure  and  modernise  its  transport  systems  and  networks  to  strengthen  EU-
Azerbaijan  cooperation  is  particularly  highlighted  in  Article  57 of  the  PCA.  The 
need to cooperate on modernising airports and air navigation infrastructure and to 
promote trans-European links is particularly highlighted. The EU and Azerbaijan 
are  currently  negotiating  an  Association  Agreement  to  succeed  the  PCA.  This 
Association  Agreement  will  significantly  deepen  Azerbaijan’s  political 
association  and  economic  integration  with  the  EU  including  in  the  transport 
sector. 

–  In  parallel  to  this  process,  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  (ENP)  has  been 
developed  and  Azerbaijan  became  part  of  this  policy  in  2004.  The  ENP  aims  at 
strengthening  the  prosperity,  stability  and  security  of  the  EU's  neighbouring 
countries and at avoiding the emergence of new dividing lines with the enlarged 
EU. This policy is implemented through European Neighbourhood Policy Action 
Plans  (ENPAPs)  which  are  agreed  between  the  EU  and  each  partner  country 
individually.  The  EU-Azerbaijan  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  Action  Plan 
was adopted in 2006. ENPAP provisions on transport include (for Azerbaijan) the 
development and implementation of a national sustainable transport policy, with a 
focus,  where  appropriate,  on  further  approximation  of  legislative  and  regulatory 
frameworks with European and international standards, in particular for safety and 
security (all transport modes) and, in the aviation sector, the introduction of new 
regulatory mechanisms, including on safety and security issues. 

–  The  Eastern  Partnership  initiative  was  launched  in  2009  to  deepen  the  EU´s 
relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The 
concept  of  a  more  ambitious  partnership  between  the  European  Union  and  the 
partner  countries  is  reflected  in  the  Joint  Declaration  of  the  Prague  Eastern 
Partnership Summit, signed on 7 May 2009, in Prague. 

–  The main EU co-operation objectives, policy responses and priority fields as far as 
Azerbaijan is concerned are laid down in the Azerbaijan Country Strategy Paper 
2007-2013. Azerbaijan has also presented a national development strategy, which 
includes  a  plan  to  adopt  various  EU  legislation,  including  in  relation  with  the 
common rules for the operation of air services (Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 of 
the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for the operation of 
air services in the Community), the rules on the limitation of noise emission from 
civil  subsonic  jet  airplanes  and  the  rules  on  the  investigation  of  civil  aviation 
accidents and incidents. 

–  More specifically on aviation, Azerbaijan is actively participating in various pan-
European aviation structures. Azerbaijan is a member of ECAC (European Civil 
Aviation  Conference)  since  2002.  It  has  applied  for  membership  in  Eurocontrol. 
In  the  field  of  aviation  safety,  two  working  arrangements  have  been  signed  in 

6 

OJ L 246/1999, p. 3, 17 September 1999. 

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2006  and  in  2009  with  the  European  Aviation  Safety  Agency  (EASA).7  A 
"Horizontal  Agreement"  between  the  EU  and  Azerbaijan,  which  brings  the 
bilateral agreements between Azerbaijan and EU Member States in line with EU 
law, was signed in July 2009 (there were 19 initialled bilateral agreements when 
the horizontal agreement was signed).8 

3. 

THE EU-AZERBAIJAN AVIATION MARKET AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

Given  the  distance  between  the  EU  and  Azerbaijan  and  the  relatively  poor  land 
transport  infrastructure,  aviation  is  the  single  most  important  mode  of  transport  to 
link Azerbaijan to most EU Member States.  

Azerbaijan  has  a  population  of  8.4  million  inhabitants  which  is  more  than  the 
combined populations of neighbouring Georgia and Armenia. Azerbaijan’s GDP per 
capita  has  risen  over  recent  years  and  Azerbaijan  has  a  comparably  high  GDP  per 
capita as a consequence of its oil and gas industry, similar to the level of Turkey.9 

The  EU-Azerbaijan  bilateral  trade  was  growing  rapidly  since  the  beginning  of  the 
decade until early 2009 when negatively impacted by the global economic crisis, also 
linked to a fall in international oil prices. In 2009 the total turnover of the bilateral 
trade was €8.9 billion (€12.7 billion in 2008),  EU's exports to Azerbaijan €1.6 billion 
(€2.1 billion in 2008) and Azerbaijan's e xports to the EU €7.3 billion (€10.6 billion 
in  2008).  Despite  the  economic  crisis,  the  EU  remained  Azerbaijan's  main  trading 
partner  with  42.8%  share  in  Azerbaijan's  overall  external  trade  (before  Turkey  and 
India  with  8.1%  share  each,  US  with  7.5%  share  and  Russia  with  5.9%  share). 
Azerbaijan is by far the largest EU's trading partner among the three South Caucasus 
countries. The EU exports to Azerbaijan mainly machinery and transport equipment 
(45.1% of the EU's total exports to Azerbaijan in 2009) and also chemicals (9.8%), 
precious  and  semi-precious  stones  (9.0%),  foodstuff  (8.0%)  and  base  metals  and 
products  made  of  them  (6.0%).  Azerbaijan's  export  structure  consists  almost 
exclusively of mineral fuels. 

International air transport to and from Azerbaijan is concentrated on Heydar Aliyev 
International Airport in Baku.10 The airport's traffic figures have grown rapidly over 
the  past  decade.  There  were  around  one  million  passengers  in  2002  and 
approximately  1  900  000  passengers  in  2010.11  The  passenger  terminals  were 

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11 

Working Arrangement between the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the State Concern 
of Civil Aviation "Azerbaijan Hava Yollari" on collection and exchange of information on the safety of 
aircraft  using  Community  airports  and  airports  of  the  Republic  of  Azerbaijan,  Working  Arrangement 
between the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the State Civil Aviation Administration of 
the Republic of Azerbaijan. 
OJ L 265/2009, p. 25, 9 October 2009. 
According  to  World  Economic  Outlook  Database,  April  2011,  Azerbaijan's  GDP  per  capita  was  
6 008 US dollars (approximately €4 230) in 2010. Azerbaijan's GDP based on purchasing-power-parity 
per capita was 10 033 current international dollars in 2010. 
The Aeronautical Information Publication lists four other international airports in Azerbaijan, but there 
are  no  scheduled  services  to  EU  Member  States  from  these  airports.  International  destinations  served 
from these airports are limited to Moscow, Kiev, St. Petersburg and Istanbul. 
The  numbers  refer  to  passengers  to/from  Heydar  Aliyev  International  Airport.  Steer  Davies  Gleave: 
Study  on  the  economic  benefit  of  a  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  between  the  EU  and  the 
Republic of Azerbaijan.  

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modernised  in  the  late  1990s  and  construction  of  a  new  international  terminal  is 
currently underway. This is scheduled for completion in 2012 and will have capacity 
for 3 million passengers per year.  

Passenger  traffic  between  the  EU  and  Azerbaijan  is  still  at  a  relatively  low  level; 
traffic  to/from  EU  Member  States  represents  approximately  10%  of  the  total 
passenger  traffic  to/from  Azerbaijan.  For  2009,  about  194  200  passengers  were 
carried on flights between airports in the EU27 and Azerbaijan.12 In 2009, the top six 
markets (UK – 35%, Germany – 23%, Austria – 17%, France – 8%, Sweden – 6% 
and Latvia – 6 %) accounted for 95%  of the total EU-Azerbaijan passenger traffic. 
The city pair with the highest passenger volume in 2009 was London-Baku, followed 
by Frankfurt-Baku and Vienna-Baku. The Azerbaijan market can be attractive to EU 
airlines in terms of yields and revenues, due to a high share of business travel related 
to the oil and gas industry. 

Azerbaijan  has  negotiated  an  air  services  agreement  (ASAs)  with  21  EU  Member 
States  (Austria,  Belgium,  Bulgaria,  Czech  Republic,  Denmark,  Estonia,  Finland, 
France,  Germany,  Greece,  Italy,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg,  the  Netherlands, 
Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK). Although some agreements 
have  started  to  become  more  open,  the  ASAs  with  EU  Member  States  are  rather 
restrictive  in  particular  with  regard  to  the  capacity  arrangements  (e.g.  number  of 
frequencies) and in some cases in relation with the routing possibilities. The current 
system  of  bilateral  air  services  agreements  between  the  Member  States  and 
Azerbaijan  may  therefore  disadvantage  a  number  of  EU  carriers  as  well  as 
consumers  in  some  Member  States.  The  economic  study  contracted  by  the 
Commission  has  concluded  that  demand  for  air  travel  between  the  EU  and 
Azerbaijan exceeds supply. 

In  July  2010,  four  EU  carriers  served  the  Azerbaijan  market:  airBaltic  from  Riga, 
Austrian Airlines from Vienna, British Midland Airways from London and Lufthansa 
from Frankfurt. The market share of these EU carriers in the EU-Azerbaijan market 
is  72%  of  all  passengers  carried.  Also  for  air  passenger  traffic  between  Azerbaijan 
and North America, EU carriers and hubs have a high market share.13 On the other 
hand, during the period from 2008 to 2010, Turkish Airlines increased its operations 
to  Baku  significantly  and  Istanbul  has  become  a  growing  competitor  for  traffic 
between  Azerbaijan  and  the  EU  and  between  Azerbaijan  and  North  America.14 
During 2008-2010, traffic growth between EU27 and Azerbaijan was +10.9%. 

Azerbaijan Airlines is the only Azeri airline that operates scheduled services between 
Azerbaijan and the EU. Azerbaijan Airlines’ most important international route is to 
Moscow, Istanbul being the next most operated route. In 2010, Azerbaijan Airlines 

12 

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14 

All transport figures stem from the study that was contracted by the Commission (Steer Davies Gleave: 
Study  on  the  economic  benefit  of  a  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  between  the  EU  and  the 
Republic  of  Azerbaijan).  The  traffic  figures  are  based  on  EUROSTAT  information  and  include  all 
passengers travelling on a flight segment, including transit passengers as well as transfer passengers via 
an EU Member State / Azerbaijan. 
In 2010, more than 7 000 OD-passengers (origin-destination passengers) travelled from Azerbaijan to 
North  America.  Almost  two-thirds  of  these  passengers  used  either  Frankfurt  or  London-Heathrow  as 
transfer points. 
More than 2 300 passengers travelled through Istanbul to North America in 2010. This level of transfer 
passengers is similar to that seen at London-Heathrow. 

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carried 800 000 passengers (the passenger number reached approximately 1 450 000 
in 2007). Of the total flights in July 2010, 8% were to/from EU Member States. In 
2010,  Azerbaijan  Airlines  served  Paris,  London,  Milan,  Prague  and  Riga,  of  which 
Prague,  Paris  and  Milan  were  served  exclusively  by  Azerbaijan  Airlines  (no  EU-
carrier  was  operating  these  routes).  Azerbaijan  Airlines  started  operations  to 
Aberdeen in June 2011. Azerbaijan Airlines operates a relatively modern fleet using 
A319 aircraft to the EU, supplemented by Boeing 757.  

Air  fares  from  Baku  to  EU  destinations  (and  vice-versa)  are  relatively  high.  In  the 
market  between  the  EU  and  Azerbaijan,  a  combination  of  limited  network 
competition and an affluent business demand segment (oil/gas industry) has resulted 
in  air  fares  remaining  relatively  high.  Analysis  of  fares  in  comparable  markets 
suggests that demand for travel between the EU and Azerbaijan exceeds supply. The 
result  is  a  market  in  which  fares  are  held  artificially  high  and  leisure  travel  is 
suppressed.  An  increase  in  competition  following  liberalisation  (especially  of  the 
restrictions  in  capacity  arrangements)  can  lead  to  a  drop  in  fares  for  the  benefit  of 
passengers.  

4. 

BENEFITS OF AN EU – AZERBAIJAN COMMON AVIATION AREA AGREEMENT 

The  creation  of  the  EU's  single  aviation  market  since  the  early  1990s  has 
significantly  contributed  to  make  the  sector  more  dynamic  and  efficient  and  has 
created significant economic and social benefits. 

The conclusion of Common Aviation Area agreements with the Union's Eastern and 
Southern  neighbouring  countries  has  demonstrated  that  similar  positive  effects  in 
terms of transport volumes and efficiency can also be achieved for these markets. In 
this  respect,  annual  growth-rates  of  about  12%  in  seats  available  were  achieved 
between  the  EU  and  the  Western  Balkans  since  the  liberalisation  of  this  market  in 
2006 and 2010. 

The  economic  study  referred  to  above  examined  the  possible  effects  of  an  EU-
Azerbaijan Common Aviation Area Agreement. The study forecasts that from 2010 
to 2020, higher growth rates can be achieved with liberalisation. In a “No Change” 
scenario, passenger numbers would increase by 77% from 2010 levels, equivalent to 
an annual average of 5.9 %. In the “Full liberalisation” scenario (immediate or in a 
phased approach), however, passenger numbers would grow by a total of 98% from 
2010 to 2020, or an annual average of 7 %.15  

The economic benefit of such a Common Aviation Area Agreement is estimated at 
around  €44.2 mililon during  the  first  five  years  after  liberalisation  (mainly  due  to 
increased connectivity, lower air fares, increased air travel and associated economic 
activity).  The  analysis  also  shows  that  air  fares  on  routes  where  there  is  /  will  be 
competition are likely to fall. An EU-Azerbaijan agreement would create new market 
opportunities  for  air  carriers  in  the  EU,  some  of  which  have  expressed  interest  in 
operating additional services or starting new services to Baku, if the present capacity 
restrictions  would  be  lifted.  A  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  could  also 

15 

The  "Full  liberalisation"  scenario  includes  an  assumption  that  3rd,  4th  and  5th  freedom  traffic  rights 
would be granted (immediately or in a phased approach). 

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facilitate  the  integration  of  Azeri  carriers  into  existing  alliances  of  EU  air  carriers 
thus  allowing  for  the  development  of  integrated  products  and  better  services  to 
passengers  and  higher  efficiency  through  economies  of  scale.  Furthermore, 
experience  shows  that  the  implementation  mechanism  of  Common  Aviation  Area 
Agreements  helps  solving  possible  doing  business  issues  (mainly  through  the  Joint 
Committee).   

At least equally important to these economic benefits are, however, overall political 
considerations as such an agreement would significantly support the objectives of the 
European Neighbourhood Policy, the Eastern Partnership as well as the Partnership 
and Cooperation Agreement and the future Association Agreement with Azerbaijan, 
and promote the high-level EU aviation safety, aviation security and other standards.  

It should be expected that there would be some costs for Azerbaijan stemming from 
the requirement to adopt and implement a Common Aviation Area Agreement. These 
costs  would,  however,  be  far  lower  than  the  expected  benefits  from  such  an 
agreement.  The  economic  study  referred  to  above  has  estimated  a  total  discounted 
staff  cost  of  between  €1.8  million  and  €2.2  million  during  a  five  year  period.  It 
should be noted, though, that the requirement to enhance standards could stem also 
from  other  international  commitments  of  Azerbaijan  (ICAO,  agreements  with  third 
countries such as USA). 

An  EU-Azerbaijan  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement  would  establish  a  level 
playing  field  for  all  EU  air  carriers  and  allow  passengers  in  all  Member  States  to 
benefit from similar conditions and increased traffic between the EU and Azerbaijan 
and  vice  versa.  In  addition,  an  EU–Azerbaijan  Common  Aviation  Area  Agreement 
would  provide  the  legal  basis  for  the  establishment  of  air  services  from  those 
Member States which currently do not have bilateral ASAs with Azerbaijan. 

5. 

CONCLUSIONS 

As  a  consequence  of  market  opening,  travel  opportunities  for  EU  and  Azeri 
passengers would improve and there would be economic benefits for EU and Azeri 
airlines  and  airports.  Improved  connectivity  and  access  to  a  broader  range  of 
destinations  is  likely  to  act  as  a  catalyst  for  the  development  of  business  in 
Azerbaijan and foreign inward investment.  

It will be important to ensure that the opening and the integration of the markets is 
undertaken  in  a  balanced  manner  taking  into  account  other  important  policy 
objectives  and  mitigating  potential  adverse  impacts.  In  this  context,  it  will  be 
essential to ensure that the process of market opening is accompanied by a parallel 
process  of  regulatory  co-operation  and  gradual  convergence.  This  is  particularly 
important  in  crucial  areas  such  as  safety,  security,  environmental  protection  and 
application of competition law. 

Open markets need a framework that ensures fair competition and high standards for 
safety  and  security.  With  regard  to  environmental  issues,  the  agreement  must  be 
consistent  with  the  EU's  commitment  to  sustainable  development.  It  is  particularly 
important that the agreement does not restrict the EU’s ability to apply regulatory or 
economic  instruments  to  mitigate  unwanted  side-effects  of  growth  in  air  traffic, 

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notably  on  the  air  quality  and  noise  levels  around  airports  and  through  the 
contribution  to  global  climate  change.  In  the  field  of  air  traffic  management,  the 
possibility  to  extend  the  Single  European  Sky  to  Azerbaijan  would  contribute  to 
enhance current safety standards, optimise efficiency and capacity, reduce emisions 
per flight and minimise delays.  

A comprehensive mandate for the negotiations with Azerbaijan should be based  on 
two equally important strands: on one hand market opening and liberalisation and on 
the  other  hand  regulatory  harmonisation  of  aviation  safety,  aviation  security  and 
other  standards  beyond  the  EU  borders.  In  this  respect  the  conclusion  of  an  EU-
Azerbaijan Common Aviation Area Agreement would make a major contribution to 
reaching  the  objectives  of  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy,  the  Eastern 
Partnership,  the  EU–Azerbaijan  Partnership  and  Cooperation  Agreement  as  well  as 
the future Association Agreement. 

In the light of the above, the Commission proposes the negotiation and conclusion of 
a comprehensive Common Aviation Area Agreement with Azerbaijan and invites the 
Council  to  authorise  the  Commission  to  enter  into  negotiations  on  such  an 
agreement.  The  negotiations  will  be  conducted  by  the  Commission  services,  fully 
involving  the  European  External  Action  Service  (EEAS),  taking  duly  into  account 
Council Decision 2010/427/EU.  

The  Commission  will  work  closely  together  with  Member  States  and  all  relevant 
stakeholders  in  further  developing  and  achieving  the  objectives  set  out  in  the 
proposed Council Decision.  

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