By IANS
Paris : European aerospace and defence industry leaders Tuesday backed an initiative by their American counterparts to modernize the US export control system, saying improvements are needed to increase security and trade on both sides of the Atlantic.
Chief executive officers of US and European aerospace companies, meeting during the Paris Air Show, agreed that export controls are necessary to protect national sovereignty and security, a statement issued after the meeting said.
At the same time, modernizing the US system to make it more predictable, transparent, and efficient would boost trans-Atlantic trade, cooperation, and interoperability among friends and allies, the statement added.
"The leaders also agreed that improving the ecological impact of aviation is an important goal for the global aerospace industry. Increased cooperation between the US and Europe is vital to success," the statement said.
Future meetings are planned to coordinate plans and policy on the environment.
One way to lessen aviation's effect on the environment is to modernize air transportation systems in Europe and the US to lessen flight delays and reduce fuel burning, the leaders said.
Another important goal is to continue making new aircraft more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly, the leaders felt.
William H. Swanson of Raytheon Company and Charles Edelstenne of Dassault Aviation led their respective groups at the dialogue, an annual meeting between the leadership of the Aerospace Industries Association of America and AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe.
"This year's topics reflect the increasingly global and interdependent nature of the aerospace and defence industry," the statement pointed out.
"The discussion also yielded an agreement to share best practices in business ethics and extend their adoption worldwide," it added.