The strength of any representative organisation is directly linked to the strength of its members. ECA is strong only when it acts in concert with its Member Associations. Our Member Associations in turn are strong only when they act in concert with their cockpit crew members.

The liberalisation of the civil aviation market in Europe has seen the advent of a new type of company which is no longer confined to national borders. The growth of new airlines like easyJet, and the mergers between airlines such as Air France / KLM and Lufthansa / Swiss, are the result of the liberalising agenda within the EU. Where this agenda is clearly good news for airlines in general, the potential risk is that pilot groups working with these companies, are divided along national lines. An employer seeking to extract the lowest common denominator set of terms and conditions may attempt to abuse an incoherent patchwork of labour laws, unless we work together to resist.

Pilot representation is strong only when it is has a joint focus and is well organised. ECA recognises, together with its Member Associations that it is imperative that MAs work together to ensure all the pilots in one company are represented seamlessly. This to enable their collective voice to be heard; loud and clear.

This last week, at the ECA Conference in Brussels, the Member Associations of ECA not only recognised this problem but supported the use of a draft Convention they had developed within ECA to ensure every pilot in every European airline has the availability of comprehensive representation. The ECA Trans National Airline Convention has been proposed for formal ratification at the ECA's General Assembly Conference in November.

Five Member Associations however, have already gone a step further! The British Airline Pilots' Association, BALPA is the central MA of a five nation group, including the German Vereinigung Cockpit, Syndicat National des Pilotes de Ligne - France ALPA, Associazione Nazionale Piloti Aviazione Commerciale from Italy and Pilotenverband Swiss, SwissALPA who jointly signed an agreement to represent all easyJet pilots, wherever they are based in Europe. This is the first such agreement. It is a very strong signal that pilot unions in Europe are not going to allow the inadequate attention of the EU to trans-national representation stand in their way.

All employers in our industry feel the pressure of strong competition. Some - like easyJet - recognise the benefits of working in partnership with their employees in a constructive engagement. There is however more work to be done! The need for a framework in which employers and employees alike can benefit from a modern and effective negotiating arena is plain for us all to see. ECA will be working hard to overcome those who think European Society is here only to serve (Aviation) Business. We would rather see aviation as a liberalised but well regulated business sector acting as an engine for a coherent and diverse society.

The debate has only just started!