Borderless skies! Sovereign dominance, regionalism: lessons from Europe

Transport shrinks the world and none more so than aviation. But achieving borderless skies is problematic, mostly due to a legacy lacking trust and the recognition of vulnerability from the skies. Commercial air transport, whilst little more than 100-years old, continues to battle a nemesis stemming back centuries - linked to warfare and predictably the protection of boundaries and borders. Regional cooperation arguably provides valuable stepping-stones to achieving the goal of a borderless world wherein nations co-exist in peace and tolerance. This year (2017) marks the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties and this paper reviews the significance of EU regional unity, particularly on policy development in transport and specifically, aviation, which, enhances, not only regional integration but, inevitably, facilitates international cohesion. The research is based upon a mixed method/interdisciplinary approach, predominately with the focus on a socio-legal qualitative review. Commentary spans the period 1648 to the current date in – borderless skies: lessons from Europe.