{"id":216853,"date":"2026-02-12T11:18:32","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T10:18:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/?p=216853"},"modified":"2026-02-16T11:55:55","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T10:55:55","slug":"abolition-of-open-skies-agreement-between-the-eu-and-qatar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/abolition-of-open-skies-agreement-between-the-eu-and-qatar","title":{"rendered":"Ongoing battle over the abolition of the open skies agreement between the EU and Qatar"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Contestation is growing over one of the most decried open skies agreements since the European Union: the one signed in 2021 with Qatar, which allows the airlines of both political entities to serve any airline linking Doha to the European Union and vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"translation-block\">Except that the signing and application of this agreement appear to be marred by irregularities, as denounced by several organisations - in this case the European Cockpit Association (ECA), the European Network Airlines' Association (ENAA) and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF). The three are calling on the European Commission to immediately suspend the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/open-sky-qatar-eu-agreement\/\" target=\"_self\">Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement between the European Union and Qatar<\/a>. They express concern about the lack of transparency in the negotiations, governance and fair competition when the agreement is signed in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This stance comes after media reports revealed that the European Commission has dismissed a senior official who oversaw discussions with Qatar. The decision follows an investigation by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and an internal disciplinary procedure. The allegations concern compliance issues relating to conflicts of interest, transparency obligations, the acceptance of gifts and the disclosure of documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a joint statement published on 5 February, the European social partners in civil aviation believe that these recent developments have undermined confidence in the process that led to the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On closer inspection, it is true that the signing of this open skies agreement seems to have benefited Qatar alone. Just look at the current state of air links between the European Union and the Emirate: on the one hand, Qatar Airways, which serves 27 EU destinations (including Paris CDG and Nice in France); on the other, two EU airlines land in Doha: Finnair and Iberia. It has to be said that, despite having one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world, Qatar's population of just 3.1 million does not generate much enthusiasm in terms of potential...<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the 3 organisations, international agreements should help to establish a level playing field while preserving the economic and social sustainability of the European aviation sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Association of International Airports, Europe Chapter (ACI Europe) is nevertheless strongly opposed to a suspension of the agreement. In a press release, ACI warns of the consequences of a suspension for European air connectivity, consumer choice and the EU's international credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the airports, the EU-Qatar agreement has in fact helped to diversify air routes and strengthen opportunities for local communities, travellers and businesses. They also point out that there is no tangible evidence (sic) that Qatar Airways has acquired a dominant or unfair position in the European market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The available data also show that Qatar Airways' seat capacity in Europe during the current IATA winter season (October 2025 - March 2026) is still 10 % below its pre-pandemic level in 2019. European airlines, on the other hand, have virtually no capacity at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this legal and media battle, Qatar has plenty of leverage to freeze any decision by the European authorities on this agreement...<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Suspicions of corruption, lack of transparency: European organisations are calling for the suspension and renegotiation of the bilateral aviation agreement between Qatar and the EU.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":217011,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[2085,2107,1133],"type-darticle":[52],"n_magazine":[],"class_list":["post-216853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aerien","tag-union-europeenne","tag-transport-aerien","tag-qatar","type-darticle-breve","vapo-free"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Fin de l&#039;accord de ciel ouvert entre Qatar et Union Europ\u00e9enne ?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"L&#039;Union Europ\u00e9enne va t-elle remettre en question l&#039;accord de ciel ouvert sign\u00e9 en 2021 avec le Qatar pour cause d&#039;irr\u00e9gularit\u00e9s ? Explications.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/abolition-of-open-skies-agreement-between-the-eu-and-qatar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bataille en cours sur la suppression de l&#039;accord de ciel ouvert entre l&#039;UE et le Qatar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"L&#039;Union Europ\u00e9enne va t-elle remettre en question l&#039;accord de ciel ouvert sign\u00e9 en 2021 avec le Qatar pour cause d&#039;irr\u00e9gularit\u00e9s ? Explications.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/abolition-of-open-skies-agreement-between-the-eu-and-qatar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Voyages d&#039;affaires\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-12T10:18:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-16T10:55:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"700\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Luc Citrinot\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Luc Citrinot\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar\",\"name\":\"Fin de l'accord de ciel ouvert entre Qatar et Union Europ\u00e9enne ?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-12T10:18:32+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-16T10:55:55+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c74b2eea412d55da7482e81e95f8edc3\"},\"description\":\"L'Union Europ\u00e9enne va t-elle remettre en question l'accord de ciel ouvert sign\u00e9 en 2021 avec le Qatar pour cause d'irr\u00e9gularit\u00e9s ? Explications.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg\",\"width\":700,\"height\":450,\"caption\":\"Des organisations professionnelles du transport a\u00e9rien appellent \u00e0 une suspension d'un accord de ciel ouvert UE-Qatar (Photo: Qatar Airways)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Accueil\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Bataille en cours sur la suppression de l&rsquo;accord de ciel ouvert entre l&rsquo;UE et le Qatar\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/\",\"name\":\"Voyages d&#039;affaires\",\"description\":\"media fran\u00e7ais du Voyage d&#039;Affaires &amp; du MICE\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c74b2eea412d55da7482e81e95f8edc3\",\"name\":\"Luc Citrinot\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/author\/luccitrinot\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"End of the open skies agreement between Qatar and the European Union?","description":"Will the European Union call into question the open skies agreement signed with Qatar in 2021 because of irregularities? We explain.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/abolition-of-open-skies-agreement-between-the-eu-and-qatar","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Bataille en cours sur la suppression de l'accord de ciel ouvert entre l'UE et le Qatar","og_description":"L'Union Europ\u00e9enne va t-elle remettre en question l'accord de ciel ouvert sign\u00e9 en 2021 avec le Qatar pour cause d'irr\u00e9gularit\u00e9s ? Explications.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/abolition-of-open-skies-agreement-between-the-eu-and-qatar","og_site_name":"Voyages d&#039;affaires","article_published_time":"2026-02-12T10:18:32+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-16T10:55:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":700,"height":450,"url":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Luc Citrinot","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Luc Citrinot","Estimated reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar","url":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar","name":"End of the open skies agreement between Qatar and the European Union?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg","datePublished":"2026-02-12T10:18:32+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-16T10:55:55+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c74b2eea412d55da7482e81e95f8edc3"},"description":"Will the European Union call into question the open skies agreement signed with Qatar in 2021 because of irregularities? We explain.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/boeing-qatar.jpg","width":700,"height":450,"caption":"Des organisations professionnelles du transport a\u00e9rien appellent \u00e0 une suspension d'un accord de ciel ouvert UE-Qatar (Photo: Qatar Airways)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/suppression-accord-ciel-ouvert-ue-qatar#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Accueil","item":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Bataille en cours sur la suppression de l&rsquo;accord de ciel ouvert entre l&rsquo;UE et le Qatar"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/","name":"Business travel","description":"THE FRENCH BUSINESS TRAVEL &amp; MICE MEDIA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c74b2eea412d55da7482e81e95f8edc3","name":"Luc Citrinot","url":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/author\/luccitrinot"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216853"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":217019,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216853\/revisions\/217019"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/217011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=216853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=216853"},{"taxonomy":"type-darticle","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-darticle?post=216853"},{"taxonomy":"n_magazine","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/n_magazine?post=216853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}