BRUSSELS, Feb 24: The European Union and Pakistan on Tuesday signed a civil aviation deal, allowing EU-based airlines to operate flights to Pakistan from any EU state which already has an agreement with Islamabad.

“The agreement signed today is good news for both Pakistani and EU airlines as well as for passengers as it removes the legal uncertainty” from existing bilateral deals, said EU Commission vice-president Antonio Tajani.

The EU has negotiated similar accords, which in practice remove nationality restrictions for EU airlines under existing bilateral air services agreements, with 45 countries.

The legal clarity was required because in November 2002 a European court ruled that air agreements between one EU nation and a third country were discriminatory and in breach of EU law.---AFP