The European Union on Thursday signed an 'open skies' deal with members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
The deal brings 47 existing bilateral air services agreements in line with EU law.
That deal provides the African carriers "with increased opportunities to operate to the EU from WAEMU countries," the commission said.
Under the agreement any European airline can operate flights between any EU nation and any WAEMU Member State where a bilateral agreement already exists and traffic rights are available