WRITTEN QUESTION E-0407/98 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (24 February 1998)

Subject: Aircraft safety in the year 2000

Pilots have threatened a worldwide boycott in the year 2000, fearing that the 'Millennium Bug' will disrupt computer systems that keep planes in the air and prevent collisions.

Is the Commission satisfied that Member States, third countries, airlines and aviation authorities are acting with sufficient urgency to ensure that planes do not drop out of the sky or collide in the year 2000?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (17 April 1998)

The Commission shares the concerns expressed by the Honourable Member about the potentially serious problems that could arise from the date change, and has addressed the issue in its communication on The Year 2000 Computer Problem ((COM(98)102. )). This is designed to try to ensure a high level of awareness on the subject and to establish effective liaison with all the supervisory authorities for energy, transport and telecommunications and in the financial markets and other economic sectors.

As there is genuine concern that the date changeover problem could affect safety in civil aviation, the Commission issued a circular in December 1997 to all the Member States to clarify what actions each Member State is going to undertake or has already put in place. Similar letters were sent to the main airline and airport organisations (IATA, AEA, ERA, ACE, ACI).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has formed a Year 2000 Group and has issued a chief executive brief drawing the attention of airline presidents to this issue. Airport council international (ACI) has directed two questionnaires to all its member airports world-wide: one on behalf of IATA and one on its own behalf seeking details about compliance of computer systems. Several states have indicated that they have already undertaken remedial actions, mainly asking Air Traffic Control (ATC) system manufacturers to provide assurances against any hazardous effect on aircraft as a result of the date change.

In Eurocontrol a progress report on actions undertaken in all European states is being prepared. It shows that fourteen out of thirty-six European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) States, including those who replied to the Commission, have initiated actions to make an inventory of all their present computer systems and are involving manufacturers of the equipment installed in their own ATC national centres. Eurocontrol also organised a workshop on 19-20 March 1998 to which civil aviation administrations, airlines, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and other organisations were invited to share information. The objective of this event was to monitor national activities and to speed up the process throughout the ECAC area.

ICAO is ensuring world-wide coverage by sending a circular to all states, and is also organising seminars, such as that held in Mexico from 24-28 November 1997.

The Commission will continue to work with all interested parties in order to make every possible effort to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to avoid the disruptions which could arise from the computer problems relating to the year 2000.