Aerospace Leaders agree to cooperate on ethics and environment.
Press Release Summary:
After meeting at Farnborough International Airshow, top leaders from aerospace companies in U.S. and Europe agreed to close collaboration on ethical business practices as well as efforts to improve aviation's impact on environment. CEOs also discussed efforts to improve export control systems. Two sides concurred that aerospace should support open and fair markets, and agreed to hold international forum on business conduct each year to mark progress and plan strategy.
Original Press Release:
U.S. and European Aerospace Leaders Agree to Greater Cooperation on Ethics, Environment
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 15 /-- Top leaders from aerospace companies in the United States and Europe agreed to close collaboration on ethical business practices as well as efforts to improve aviation's impact on the environment after meeting at the Farnborough International Airshow on Tuesday. The CEOs of some of the largest and most influential aerospace companies on both sides of the Atlantic also discussed efforts to improve the export control systems during the face-to-face meeting.
The leaders agreed to use the separate business ethics regimes in place in the U.S. and Europe as a starting point for efforts to exchange good practices internationally. The two sides agreed to hold an international forum on business conduct each year to mark progress and plan strategy.
The two sides reiterated their commitment to improve upon their excellent record of environmental stewardship within the industry worldwide. Building on cooperation through international bodies working on the issue of reducing carbon emissions, they agreed to organize an environmental summit in Paris this fall to coincide with an annual European industry conference.
The two sides also concurred that aerospace, as a truly global industry, should support open and fair markets, and work together to achieve that goal.
The meeting featured Ake Svensson of Saab leading the European delegation and Clay Jones of Rockwell Collins heading the U.S. group. Other participants were Allan Cook of Cobham and Denis Ranque of Thales on the European side and Robert Stevens of Lockheed Martin and William Swanson of Raytheon for the U.S.
The AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe and the Aerospace Industries Association of America organized the meeting, which is an annual air show event. ASD Secretary-General Francois Gayet supported the European executives, while AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey supported the U.S. delegation.
Participants also discussed export controls and technology sharing among friends and allies. They praised steps taken earlier this year to modernize the U.S. export control system, and agreed to work together to push further steps with the next U.S. presidential administration. The group also talked about the "Intra-EU Transfer" initiative and ramifications for U.S. companies.
"It's vital that we work closely with our European partners on these issues, and we have solid marching orders on the way forward," Blakey said. "This will lead to continued progress on improvements in ethics, the environment, the NextGen and SESAR airspace modernization programs and the other important matters."
"Transatlantic cooperation is essential to tackle environmental and technological challenges," Francois Gayet declared. "These challenges are common to the U.S. and the European aerospace industries, which both operate on a global scale."
Founded in 1919, the Aerospace Industries Association represents the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military, and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, space systems, aircraft engines, materiel, and related components, equipment services, and information technology.
