WRITTEN QUESTION E-2250/99 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Flight delays.
Date: 1999-12-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air space, air traffic, air transport, carriage of passengers, economic consequence

C 225 E/78

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

Does the Commission take steps to ensure that the rule of additionality (in whatever is its proper and
2.
relevant sense) is observed by Member States. If so, what is the mechanism by which the Commission does
this? If not, why not?

If a local or regional authority, or an elected representative in such an authority, or an MEP, has
3.
reasonable grounds for suspicion that funds are being misappropriated in the sense of being allocated
without due regard to additionality, what does the Commission consider to be the appropriate avenue of
complaint?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 1999)

1.
It is correct that Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/93 of 20 July 1993, amending Regulation (EEC)
No 4253/88 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88, as regards co-
ordination of the activities of the different structural funds between themselves and with the operations of
the European investment bank and the other existing financial instruments (1) provides that spending on
the structural funds may not replace structural or comparable expenditure undertaken by the Member
State. However, it also provides that additionality is established at the level of the whole of the territory
eligible under an objective, rather than at the local or regional
level. On condition therefore that the
Member State maintains its overall public structural or comparable expenditure at least at the same level as
in the previous programming period, additionality is respected. Similar provisions will apply during the
next programming period for objective 1 while additionality for objectives 2 and 3 together will be
assessed on the basis of national spending on active labour market policy (Council Regulation (EC)
No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the structural funds (2)). The level of
matching funds at the local level is a separate issue from additionality and depends on the structure of the
programme or measure in question.

The Community support framework or single programming document governing expenditure under
2.
the structural funds is not adopted unless it contains provisions to ensure compliance ex ante with the
principle of additionality. Subsequently, during the course of the programming period, the Member State
provides the Commission with the financial information required to allow the verification of additionality
on an ongoing basis. The regulations do not provide for any specific penalties in regard to non-compliance
with the ongoing verification of additionality.

As it is not possible to draw any conclusion at the local or regional level regarding compliance with

3.
the principle of additionality, the question of reporting non-compliance at that level does not arise.

(1) OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.
(2) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2000/C 225 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2250/99

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Flight delays

It is becoming alarmingly and even scandalously common for flight departures from airports all over the
European Union to be delayed.

Given that all these delays are causing considerable economic prejudice and personal inconvenience to
travellers and their families, their business associates, etc., will the Commission state what the real causes
are, and, if appropriate, what measures it intends to adopt to ensure that flight schedules are adhered to?

8.8.2000

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/79

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2000)

The Commission agrees that the situation of air traffic delays and airspace congestion has reached levels
which are no longer acceptable and requires urgent and drastic action.

This is why the Commission adopted, on 1st December 1999, a communication (1) on the creation of the
European single sky which analyses the causes for that situation and recommends a number of actions to
be undertaken both at Member States and at Community level. The questions of the Honourable Member
are answered in this document.

In addition, the Commission envisages to examine more in depth the impact of delays on the travelling
public on the occasion of a wide consultation to be undertaken soon on the protection of air passengers.

(1) COM(1999) 614 final.

(2000/C 225 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2252/99

by Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Environmental deterioration in Arce (PiØlagos-Cantabria, Spain)

The lack of any controls on the operations carried out at the Laherran and Hormisa quarries in Arce
(Cantabria) is causing the local population grave concern. Activity at both quarries, currently consisting of
sand and cement extraction, stone crushing, an agglomerate plant and a concrete plant has increased
considerably. All of this means that there has been an increase in dust, noise and vibration from
explosions, and, on top of this, the constant flow of heavy vehicles through the village, at great risk to
the local population, given the absence of any adequate traffic infrastructure.

The situation has lead to over a hundred protests being made to the local authorities and the government
of the autonomous region, but local people(cid:146)s requests to the appropriate authorities for information about
the local authority licences of the quarries have failed to produce a solution to the problem.

Given that there is a scheme to extend the installations at one of the quarries, and a plan to build a dry
mortar factory, I would ask:

1.

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

2. Does the Commission not believe that Community environmental legislation is being violated, since
the work being done by these companies comes under the heading of irritating, unhealthy, harmful
and dangerous industrial activity taking place a few metres from private housing?

3. Will the Commission approach the relevant authorities with a view to ensuring that the following

directives are complied with:

(a) 85/337 /EEC (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the

environment;

(b) 96/61/ EEC (2) on integrated pollution prevention and control;