EU and Qatar sign open skies accord

DOHA (Reuters) - The European Union and Qatar signed a broad air services pact on Monday allowing Qatari and EU member state airlines unlimited airspace access between each other's territories.

The Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement includes provisions on fair competition, transparency, the environment and consumer protections, Qatar's ministry of transport said.

Both sides agreed to terms last month.

The ministry said it was the first such agreement between the EU and a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state, of which Qatar is one of six members. Major Middle East carrier Qatar Airways is owned by the government of Qatar.

(Reporting by Eric Knecht; Writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)