49 U.S.C. § 40105: International negotiations, agreements, and obligations

The Secretary of State shall advise the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Secretaries of Transportation and Commerce, and consult with them as appropriate, about negotiations for an agreement with a government of a foreign country to establish or develop air navigation, including air routes and services. The Secretary of Transportation shall consult with the Secretary of State in carrying out this part to the extent this part is related to foreign air transportation. shall act consistently with obligations of the United States Government under an international agreement; shall consider applicable laws and requirements of a foreign country; and may not limit compliance by an air carrier with obligations or liabilities imposed by the government of a foreign country when the Secretary takes any action related to a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued under chapter 411 of this title. This subsection does not apply to an agreement between an air carrier or an officer or representative of an air carrier and the government of a foreign country, if the Secretary of Transportation disapproves the agreement because it is not in the public interest. Section 40106(b)(2) of this title applies to this subsection. the Secretaries of Commerce and Defense; airport operators; scheduled air carriers; charter air carriers; airline labor; consumer interest groups; travel agents and tour organizers; and other groups, institutions, and governmental authorities affected by international aviation policy. The President shall grant to at least one representative of each House of Congress the privilege of attending international aviation negotiations as an observer if the privilege is requested in advance in writing. As part of their bilateral negotiations with foreign nations and their civil aviation counterparts, the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall facilitate the reciprocal airworthiness certification of aviation products. In this section, the term ‘reciprocal airworthiness certification of aviation products’ means that the regulatory authorities of each nation perform a similar review in certifying or validating the certification of aircraft and aircraft components of other nations.”