A4-0266/95

Resolution on the Commission communication on congestion and crisis in air traffic (COM(95)0318 - C4-0355/95)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission communication on congestion and crisis in air traffic (COM(95)0318 - C4-0355/95),

- having regard to its resolutions of 18 September 1992 on saturation of airspace and air traffic control ((OJ C 284, 2.11.1992, p. 170.)), and 27 September 1994 on air traffic control in Europe ((OJ C 305, 31.10.1994, p. 24.)),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A4- 0266/95),

A. whereas air transport is at present under considerable strain owing to air traffic congestion,

B. whereas this congestion is caused by the imbalance between demand and capacity and by the current fragmented European air traffic management system with separate national systems using different technical systems,

C. whereas this system creates a degree of rigidity and inflexibility that prevents the adaptation of airspace to the seasonal variations of traffic which occur in Europe and implies that any difficulty or deficiency due to social or technical reasons at a certain airport will be reflected across the whole system leading to bottlenecks or crisis situations in the air traffic flow in Europe,

D. concerned about the considerable economic costs and inconvenience this congestion causes to passengers, airlines and ultimately business in general,

E. whereas the provision of an efficient air transport system is a fundamental element in the infrastructure needed to support the single market in the civil aviation sector, improve the competitiveness of the European economy and the mobility of persons and goods,

F. whereas the important work undertaken by the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) and Eurocontrol in the field of air traffic management and flow management and the relevant conclusions adopted by ECAC Ministers on 20 October 1988, 24 April 1990, 17 March 1992 and 10 June 1994 should be recognized to prevent costly duplication of efforts,

G. whereas the Commission communication deals only with crisis situations, and does not deal with the more general problem of a structural shortage of air traffic control capacity in Europe and the need for a single system of air traffic management, which will be the subject of a forthcoming White Paper,

1. Requests both the Commission and the Council to act as a catalyst to create the political will required to ease the congestion and crisis situation at certain times of year in air traffic control;

2. Recalls that the maintenance of a high level of safety is a key factor in air transport and air traffic control; calls on the Member States, within their spheres of activity, to do all within their power to ensure that level of safety;

3. Believes that any development in air traffic control must be evolutionary, a step-by-step approach having to be followed so that the required new technologies can be integrated in an orderly way;

4. Welcomes the Commission communication on congestion and crisis in air traffic within the existing air traffic management structure and recognises the short-term need to harmonize and integrate the different air traffic control (ATC) systems in the Member States;

5. Considers that the proposals and measures announced in this communication can contribute to alleviating crisis situations and, on the basis of this document:

(a) calls for the Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU) run by Eurocontrol to be strengthened and given greater authority enabling it to achieve a better implementation of its decisions;

(b) supports the idea of establishing the necessary mechanisms to allow a cooperative sharing of available air traffic control capacity, but points out that this presupposes a coordinating body with greater authority;

(c) asks for a definition at Community level of minimum service requirements in the event of unexpected serious air traffic disturbances (crises) in the Community in order to protect the rights of passengers;

(d) calls on all Member States to impose on both airports and airlines the regular publication of punctuality indicators and statistics on industrial action and other causes of delay to ensure accurate information for air transport users;

(e) calls for political back-up to be given to the operational support of the crisis management structure directed by Eurocontrol to ensure its success;

(f) calls on Eurocontrol to consider examining possible enhancements to air traffic flow management at peak periods;

(g) notes that the national administrations should allocate air traffic control slots in the air traffic system as coordinated through Eurocontrol;

(h) regards the existing rules on first come, first served as very important;

(i) considers that a study should be made of the impact of the existing priority rules on congestion and crisis, particularly on peripheral regions, and of the adjustments that might be made to improve air traffic flow in these situations;

6. Calls on the European Union to give its full support and to play a leading role in the implementation of the EATCHIP and APATSI programmes as developed and managed by Eurocontrol, in particular by improving the decision-making procedures and efficiency of these programmes;

7. Calls on all Member States to accede to the International Convention relating to Cooperation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol);

8. Asks all States Members of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) to accede to Eurocontrol;

9. Asks the Member States as contracting parties to the International Convention relating to Cooperation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) to take the necessary steps to ensure that a clause is inserted into the Convention allowing the Community to join;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments of the Member States, the European Civil Aviation Conference and Eurocontrol.