EU Groups Urge Suspension of Qatar Open Skies
An airline industry lobby group and two major labor organizations are calling for the suspension and reassessment of the European Union’s open skies agreement with Qatar, following the dismissal of a senior European Commission official involved in the deal’s negotiations.
The European Network Airlines’ Association (ENAA), the European Cockpit Association (ECA) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) said the firing of Henrik Hololei, the former Director-General for Transport at the European Commission, has further undermined confidence in the integrity and transparency of the agreement.
Hololei, who previously headed the Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), was dismissed in January 2026 after an internal investigation found administrative breaches. Although the Commission did not explicitly link the dismissal to the EU-Qatar aviation agreement, media reports have alleged that he accepted free flights and luxury hotel stays in Doha during negotiations. A criminal investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office into alleged corruption remains ongoing.
The 2021 EU-Qatar Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement allows airlines certified in either jurisdiction to operate flights between the EU and Qatar with expanded traffic rights. Although the agreement is not yet fully ratified, its provisions are being applied provisionally.
Under EU law, international agreements require ratification by all 27 member states. However, the deal remains stalled in 12 countries, including major aviation markets such as France, Germany and the Netherlands. The three organizations argue that ratification should not proceed until a renewed and transparent review process is undertaken.
In a joint statement, the groups urged EU member states to withdraw political support for the agreement at this stage and reassess its continuation under current conditions. They contend that recent developments have heightened concerns first raised in 2023, when investigative reports highlighted alleged irregularities in the negotiation process.
The controversy adds fresh scrutiny to the EU-Qatar aviation deal at a time when competition, fair market access and governance standards remain sensitive issues within Europe’s airline sector.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com