Ecuador adopts open skies policy to liberalise air transport

Ecuador Government announced (27-Dec-2017) the adoption ofan open skies policy, which seeks the liberalisation of air transport, with the exception of cabotage traffic. President Lenin Moreno stated the government decided "to adopt as a national public policy the full liberalisation of air transport". The decree considers that the country requires an opening policy that "translates into the signing of flexible bilateral agreements or open skies gradually and progressively, allowing its development within a framework of security, transparency and flexibility". The Ministries of Transport and External Relations, in coordination with the tourism and foreign trade portfolios, "will be in charge of negotiating open skies agreements". The government noted the agreement is designed to ensure "free and healthy competition will be respected, guaranteeing the permanent provision of services and preventing unfair practices or the abuse of dominant monopolistic positions". In addition, it states that the "international airports that will be the subject of negotiation of these agreements, correspond exclusively to those located in continental Ecuador". [more - original PR - Spanish]