The negotiations on Moldova joining the European Common Aviation Area could open in January, Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure Anatol Salaru said in the meeting of the Governmental Commission for European Integration, Info-Prim Neo reports. A group of EU experts visited Chisinau on September 23 following a letter sent by Prime Minister Vlad Filat to the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso in August. The letter said that Moldova wants to liberalize air transport and allow low-cost airlines to work on the home market so as to improve access to air services and reduce the prices of plane tickets. In the same letter, the Premier asks delegating experts o assess Moldova's preparedness to liberalize the air transport and identify the team of EU negotiators for discussing the new framework for cooperation in air transport. “This visit represents a key element in opening the talks on joining the European Common Aviation Area,” said Anatol Salaru. An agreement will be drawn up after a study of the impact of Moldova's entry into the European Common Aviation Area is carried out. Afterward, the European Commission will be mandated to open talks and sign the agreement in the name of the EU. Most probably, this phase will be completed in January 2011, when the talks will start. The agreement might be signed next June.