EU, U.S. start second-phase talks on 'open skies' agreement

Brussels (Thomson Financial) - The European Union said it has started negotiations with the U.S. for the second-phase of the 'open skies' air liberalisation agreement. The European Commission said a second-phase agreement "promises a new perspective" on how aviation is structured in the future by "potentially removing restrictions on the foreign ownership of airlines, exchanging access to domestic markets and introducing a more consensual approach to the regulation of the industry".