WRITTEN QUESTION P-1798/99 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Application of the partnership principle in the drawing up of the 2000-2006 Regional Development Plan for Spain's Objective 1 Autonomous Communities, such as Galicia.
Date: 1999-10-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Galicia, Spain, application of EU law, less-favoured region, operational programme, relations between the State and the regions

18.7.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 203 E/51

commercial flights beyond the age of 60 years and carries a recommendation that over-sixties should not
fulfil co-pilot duties on such flights. Accordingly, while certain states have filed a (cid:145)difference(cid:146) to Annex I to
the Convention in order to allow their own licences to remain valid for exercising duties on board
commercial airplanes beyond this limit, there are no powers which can oblige other states to accept this
difference for the overflight of their territory.

The Joint aviation authorities (JAA) work on the harmonisation of flight crew licensing rules produced a
compromise which would allow licences to remain valid for exercising duties on board commercial
airplanes until their holders are 65, provided that they operate such duties on multi-crew airplanes where
the other pilot is aged less than 60 years. Nevertheless such a compromise is not binding on JAA member
states and they still can decide not to accept overflight of their territory by commercial planes in which the
pilot in command is more than 60 years of age.

The Commission is currently working on a proposal to harmonise standards and requirements for flight
crew licensing throughout the Community. This proposal will clearly have to pass through the normal
Community process, and issues such as the age limit can be further discussed in the Parliament and the
Council.

(2000/C 203 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1798/99

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(1 October 1999)

Subject: Application of the partnership principle in the drawing up of the 2000-2006 Regional Develop-

ment Plan for Spain(cid:146)s Objective 1 Autonomous Communities, such as Galicia

I have already written to Mr Michel Barnier, Commissioner, to point out that, in drawing up and adopting
its 2000-2006 Regional Development Plan for Spain(cid:146)s Objective 1 region, the Spanish central government
did not apply the partnership principle since social and economic operators were not involved and there
was no provision for democratic participation by the parliaments of the Autonomous Communities
concerned, which were even prevented from exercising their political and economic powers.

How does the Commission intend to ensure that the partnership principle is upheld and that the
Autonomous Communities (such as Galicia) are able to exercise their powers in the drawing up of the
2000-2006 Regional Development Plan and the administration of the 2000-2006 Community Support
Framework, which will provide most of the funding to be invested in economic development, job creation
and transport networks during the period in question?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(28 October 1999)

The Commission has not yet received the regional development plan to which the Honourable Member
refers. As soon as it does, it will examine the document attentively, especially as regards compliance with
the principle of partnership provided for in Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999
laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1).

Articles 15 and 16 of the above Regulation stipulate respectively that (cid:145)the plans shall be submitted by the
Member State to the Commission after consultation with the partners(cid:146) and that they should include
(cid:145)an account of arrangements made to consult partners(cid:146).

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.