The European Union's executive arm on Monday proposed new aviation talks with India, Australia and Chile aimed at further opening their markets and improving regulatory cooperation.

Brussels, negotiating on behalf of the EU's 25 member states, has already concluded air traffic rights accords with Australia and Chile.

But it plans to go further and is seeking deals on safety cooperation, security, protection of the environment and passengers, as well as harmonising competition rules between airline companies.

According to European Commission figures, around 2.6 million passengers fly between India and EU states each year, with Britain and Germany accounting for 60 percent of the traffic.

Some 207,000 tonnes of air freight are also transported between them.

More than two million people fly between the EU and Australia annually, as well as 24,000 tonnes of freight.

Yearly traffic between EU members and Chile involves around 600,000 passengers and 31,000 tonnes of freight.