Parliamentary.ai

Overview

This bill aims to ensure the UK continues its participation in the Open Skies Agreement with the USA after leaving the European Union. It mandates that UK ministers consider the importance of maintaining this agreement during Brexit negotiations.

Description

The Open Skies Agreement (Membership) Bill legally obligates UK Ministers to prioritize continued UK participation in the Open Skies Agreement between the EU and the USA during Brexit negotiations. The agreement allows for pre-approved surveillance flights over each other's territories for the purpose of transparency and confidence-building. This bill is designed to ensure that this participation continues on the same terms as when the UK was a member of the EU.

Key Provisions:

• Clause 1: Requires UK Ministers to consider the desirability of continued participation in the Open Skies Agreement during Brexit negotiations.
• Clause 2: Specifies the bill's extent (across the UK), commencement (upon passing), and short title.

Government Spending

The bill itself doesn't directly allocate or specify any government spending. The potential cost of maintaining membership in the Open Skies Agreement (e.g., operational costs of flights, personnel) would be a separate budgetary matter.

Groups Affected

Groups Potentially Affected:

• UK Government: Responsible for negotiating and maintaining membership in the agreement.
• Military and Intelligence Agencies: Benefit from the intelligence-gathering and confidence-building aspects of the agreement.
• US Government: A key partner in the agreement, whose participation is contingent on continued UK membership.