The European Commission has moved to break the deadlock with US authorities over new low-fares flights to the US from Cork.

Low-fares aviation giant Norwegian hopes to launch the first transatlantic flights from Cork Airport in August — six months earlier than expected.

Ireland’s road safety record improved more than that of any other EU country last year, with a 15% drop in fatal accident rates.

Senior management from Cork Airport and the DAA are set to mount an all-out diplomatic offensive on Washington and Boston ahead of the St Patrick’s Day festivities in a bid to secure Cork’s first transatlantic flights.

The European Commission is stepping in to break the deadlock threatening the launch of the first transatlantic flights from Cork.

The US authorities are in breach of the landmark EU-US Open Skies deal by delaying a licence to the airline planning the first transatlantic flights from Cork Airport.

Airline pilots should be psychologically screened and details of their medical visits shared in a proposed European database, according to new recommendations delivered to the European Commission in the wake of the Germanwings disaster.

All airlines from Libya have been added to the list of 310 airlines banned from flying into the EU for safety reasons.

Get a taste of some of the interesting and quirky happenings in Europe from our Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill.