By Zohar Blumenkrantz
In another step towards opening Israel's skies to competition, Israel and the European Commission on Wednesday signed a preliminary memorandum of understandings towards signing a unified global aviation agreement btween Israel and the states of Europe.
The agreement is expected to fully remove the aviation limitations currently in place between Israel and European Union states. The memorandum has no immediate affect on passengers flying to and from Israel, but if it indeed leads to a global aviation agreement, flight prices are expected to decrease.
"The agreement will upgrade Israel's status in dealing with European states," Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said. "In practice, this is an Israeli agreement to conduct changes in its aviation agreements with the EU, which would allow leading European companies to fly to Israel, in accordance with bilateral arrangements between the states." 
Mofaz, who spoke Tuesday at the international tourism conference in Tel Aviv's Exhibition Grounds, added that the new agreement would bring about a 30 percent reduction in ticket prices for travel between Israel and Europe.
According to Mofaz, the memorandum signed significantly tempers the existing bilateral aviation agreements and would allow multinational airlines and subsidiaries to fly to Israel, increasing competition and freedom of movement among airlines.
On Wednesday, the transportation minister met with the EU envoy in Israel and with the EU's aviation delegation.
Transportation Ministry Director General Gideon Siterman, who headed the Israeli delegation to aviation talks in Jerusalem Tuesday, said, "The EU delegates agreed to Israel's request to make several amendments to the agreement that would protect Israel's interest, among them the aviation rights of Israeli airlines."
Siterman added that, "signing the memorandum of understandings paves the way for the European Commission to receive a mandate from the EU's council to commence global negotiations with Israel, leading up to the removal of most of the existing obstacles to implementing an open skies policy with the EU." 
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