Urge Governments To Support Bilateral Agreements

Industry leaders from the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) exchanged views this week on the current economic situation and the impact of government policy responses on the aerospace and defence industry.  Following the exchange, ASD and AIA issued the following statement:

If our respective governments continue to foster a climate in which the aerospace and defence sector can thrive, our member companies will continue to deliver products and services that contribute to global safety, security and economic prosperity.  As governments across the globe forge closer partnerships with industry, our industry remains a powerful and reliable source of high tech manufacturing and engineering employment, advanced technological innovation, environmental stewardship, and export revenue.  As leaders in the global marketplace, we are weathering the current economic difficulties and will continue to play a major role in the recovery.

ASD and AIA jointly affirm:
 

• The strength of the aerospace and defence industry is a critical asset in the global economic recovery.
• Keeping this sector strong requires sustained growth in investments in defence, civil aviation and space.
• National governments must avoid adoption of protectionist policies that would stifle our industry’s ability to generate new growth and prosperity.
• To preserve a safe and efficient air transportation system, U.S. and EU lawmakers should ensure that current bilateral maintenance agreements continue to be recognized. In particular, legislation proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives should be amended since the new inspection requirements it imposes contradict the U.S.-EU Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) and could impede its implementation.

The two organizations represent a variety of aviation and aerospace manufacturing businesses in the United States and Europe.

FMI: http://www.aia-aerospace.org/