The United States views with an open mind European calls to change US laws that limit foreign ownership of US airlines, the lead American negotiator in US-EU "open skies" air negotiations said on Tuesday.

"We approach with an open mind the expected European proposal to change US laws that limit foreign ownership of US carriers," John Byerly said in a speech prepared for delivery in Brussels.

Europe has been frustrated by the rules limiting foreign ownership of US airlines. Openness to transatlantic investment faces a test this week when the next round of "open skies" talks start, touching on foreign control of US carriers.

A federal law caps foreign control at 25 percent of the voting stock and some US lawmakers oppose scrapping the limit.