Opinion on the Commission report on the guidelines for the trans-European airport network (96/C 100/04)

At its meeting on 1 February 1995, the Committee Bureau instructed Commission 3 to draw up an Own-initiative Opinion on the above-mentioned report.

Commission 3 for Transport and Communications Networks drew up its Opinion on 22 March 1995. The Rapporteur was Mr Sauwens.

At its 7th Plenary Session, held on 20 and 21 April 1995 (meeting of 21 April 1995), the Committee of the Regions adopted the Opinion set out below.

CONTEXT AND LEGAL BASIS

Articles 129b to d of Title XII of the Treaty, which entered into force on 1 November 1993, underline the need to develop trans-European transport networks in the interest of the single market and the Union's economic and social cohesion.

In this context, the European Commission, working in close cooperation with the Member States, has defined a trans-European airport network to meet the growth in demand for air transport. This network takes account of environmental concerns and the need to improve economic and social cohesion in the Union.

Since Article 129d expressly states that the Committee of the Regions should be consulted on matters relating to trans-European networks, the Committee has taken this opportunity to deliver an Opinion on the Commission's report.

INTRODUCTION

Despite the development of the high-speed rail network, forecasts indicate that air traffic will grow faster than any other form of traffic over the next fifteen years. The number of passengers carried is likely to double and the growth in air freight will be even greater.

High-speed medium and long haul transport by both air and rail is required to further European integration. At the same time the airport network should be able to offer a wider and more varied range of connections.

Because of the financial difficulties facing most airlines in recent years and the economic recession in general, the gradual liberalization of air transport in Europe since 1987 has still not been fully exploited. The future outlook is thus good, especially with the European Union due to expand further. The implication here is that economic and social cohesion in the Union will become increasingly dependent on the opportunities afforded by air transport for developing links within the Union and between the Union and the rest of the world.

Air transport is also a potential vehicle for social progress and economic growth. Airports are by their very nature centres of growth which exercise a powerful economic and geographical knock-on effect and also have strong international links. They often make a strategic contribution to regional economies. The close proximity of an airport is a significant factor when industrial investment decisions are taken. From an economic point of view airports may be regarded as logistical support centres for regions' businesses.

By acting as a hub for regional businesses airports often provide a region's economy with an international lifeline and in logistical terms they can also be regarded as part of an international production, transport and trade network.

Regions with large international airports want to be closely involved in the everyday running and future development of these airports, bearing in mind their responsibilities for the populations living in the surrounding areas.

Commission 3 would refer in this connection to the decisions taken at the first conference of such regions, held at Gatwick in the United Kingdom on 3 and 4 November 1994.

In addition, most regions attempt, by developing regional airports, to take advantage of the dynamism generated by the development of air traffic and the fact that it creates direct and indirect employment. The expansion of these airports is a very costly business, not least because of the need to satisfy requirements with regard to air safety, the safety of passengers and installations and the protection of the environment (especially from air traffic noise). Spending on surface transportation to and from airports and the associated environmental problems is also increasing steadily.

The European Commission has defined a trans-European airport network, based on the need to ensure that:

- airport capacity in the Community is able to meet current and future demand, taking into account the expected effects of the Third Civil Aviation Package adopted by the Council in June 1992;

- capacity development remains compatible with environmental requirements, particularly with regard to how the quality of life of the population living in the vicinity of airports is affected by air traffic as well as the land-side access to airports and the ensuing growth of land-side traffic;

- airport development contributes to the economic and social cohesion of the Community, with special emphasis on the links between peripheral and core regions.

The general aim of the guidelines is to make better use of the existing capacity of the network and individual airports and - if required - to develop new capacity to meet the growing demand. Special attention is to be given to initiatives which ease the pressure on major airports and improve the geographical spread of air traffic, in line with current and future demand.

CONTENT

1. The Committee of the Regions supports the European Commission's plan to establish a European airport network as an integral part of a trans-European transport network. In particular, it endorses the Commission report on the guidelines for the trans-European airport network (SEC(94) 1863). This report marks an attempt to define a European airport network having its own distinctive features and logic.

This network definition is based on the actual use made of airports. It contrasts with the definition employed for other modes, where the key factor is the presence of infrastructure and its physical characteristics, regardless of the use made of it.

In the Committee's view the air-traffic authority should, as a matter of principle, have at its disposal adequate capacity to meet demand at all types of airport. In determining demand, however, account should be taken of (a) the desirability on environmental grounds of switching, short and medium-distance air traffic, wherever possible, to the railways and (b) the plans made with this aim in view for large-scale track construction and extension in Europe and the establishment of attractive rail links. Surface transport is a more advantageous option in the case of short and medium distances not only on environmental grounds but also because it promotes regional development. The above-mentioned transfer of traffic must, however, not be brought about by state intervention - or intervention by regional authorities; it can only be achieved by improving the supply of rail-transport services.

2. The report recognizes the multiple problems associated with the operation of airports and states that the development of a European airport network should focus on:

- the enhancement of existing capacity,

- the development of new capacity,

- the enhancement of the environmental compatibility of airports,

- the enhancement and development of access to the airport.

The Committee agrees with the European Union focusing on these four priorities. As a matter of principle, the Committee would, however, draw attention to its Opinion on the guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (CdR 176/94). The Committee emphasizes once again that the guidelines for the trans-European airport network do not impose legal obligations upon the Member States and must not infringe the sovereignty of the Member States and their regional authorities in respect of planning issues.

The above-mentioned four priorities should be closely coordinated with new aircraft developments.

The Committee stresses that optimal utilization of existing capacity must be given priority over the construction of new capacity. The improvement of air-traffic management (ATM network) is particularly important in this context.

3. The Committee notes that international air traffic is heavily concentrated on forty 'Community connecting points`, which handle 75 % of passenger traffic.

The expected growth will increasingly confront these 'points` with problems of saturation both on the ground and in the air, some of which are intractable.

The Committee therefore thinks that the 'regional connecting points` and the 'accessibility points` should be able to play a greater role in the European airport network.

Given this context, Action 6 in Annex 2 should be applicable to all three types of components and Action 8 in the same Annex should be applicable to regional connecting points. This is because actions to enhance environmental compatibility and develop better interconnections with railway networks are needed not solely in the case of Community connecting points.

Many of these points have spare capacity, face fewer access problems on the land side and have the environmental problems better in check. However, it would be appropriate to improve rail access, or envisage it where it does not already exist. If the regional connecting points and the accessibility points were to be developed, there would be less need to invest in highly expensive capacity-extension programmes at and around the major airports and the direct and indirect economic benefits of air transport would be spread more widely.

Such a move requires action on the part of the airlines, which must be encouraged to make more use of regional connecting points and accessibility points, drawing on the specific advantages which these airports offer.

4. The regional connecting points and the accessibility points should form a full part of the network.

5. The Committee notes that to date airport policy has been dominated by the demands of the airline lobby. This was particularly true in the period up to 1987, when the liberalization of air transport was still in the preparatory phase. The 1992 liberalization package and its effects on the development of air traffic will, however, ensure that airports, as economic and commercial entities, have a greater say in air transport policy. This role must be properly structured, partly on account of the airports which do not form a Community connecting point ('mainport`).

6. The Committee thinks that not only the airlines but also air passengers and shippers must be directly consulted during the debate on the further development of the trans-European airport network. One question which must be addressed in particular is to what extent airlines' and tour operators' natural preference for major airports can be squared with users' wish for short journey times to and from airports and quick and simple airport clearance procedures.

7. The Committee would refer to the growing importance of the interfaces between air transport and the connecting journeys by road and rail. The latter depend on the demand for air transport but are not the responsibility of the airport authorities.

The Committee shares the Commission's view that priority should be given to linking airports to the public transport network. The deficit to be made up in this area is considerably greater than in the case of road connections.

Given that airports, too, form part of an integrated transport system, they should be included in the combined transport guidelines. In particular, these guidelines should indicate the possibilities for combined goods transport by air and rail.

8. The Committee thinks that an objective traffic-related classification of commercial airports should be drawn up, using a uniform method for calculating passengers, freight and movements. A check should be carried out to see to what extent this uniform method already exists and is applied.

The inclusion of airports in the European network is of commercial importance for these airports. The more well known this classification becomes, the easier it will be to gauge the size and significance of the airports in question.

The Committee would also press for a prompt annual update of the traffic figures and the classification.

The extension of the network to include airports in the countries joining the EU on 1 January 1995, as announced by the Commission, should be seen as an opportunity to update the maps appended to the Commission document on the basis of current airport data and in agreement with Member States.

Done at Brussels, 21 April 1995.

The Chairman of the Committee of the Regions

Jacques BLANC