WRITTEN QUESTION E-2472/99 by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Council. Common Air Traffic Control area throughout the EU.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air traffic control, common transport policy

C 280 E/50

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

The Council has, to date, received no reports of any road accidents involving its staff during such journeys.

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that members of the Council Working Party on
General Affairs also travel regularly from Brussels to European Parliament part-sessions in Strasbourg.

(2000/C 280 E/049)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2467/99

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Travel to European Parliament part-sessions in Strasbourg

Parliament holds part-sessions in Strasbourg once a month. To that end, a huge number of officials and
other staff are required to travel from Brussels or Luxembourg to Strasbourg. A large proportion of those
travelling on (cid:145)mission(cid:146) in this way go by car.

(cid:129) How many staff overall travel every month from Brussels or Luxembourg to Strasbourg?

(cid:129) How many of the staff in question go by car?

(cid:129) How high are the total costs (including the cost of overnight stays, meals, etc.) resulting from the

(cid:145)removal(cid:146) to Strasbourg?

(cid:129) Are there records concerning, or is it known, whether or how often Commission staff are involved in

road accidents during such journeys?

(cid:129) Is it known whether there have already been cases of death or serious injury resulting from road

accidents during such journeys?

(cid:129) Are there records of costs caused by accidents?

(cid:129) Do the accident statistics for the days of travel to and from Strasbourg deviate from those for other

days?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(21 January 2000)

In 1998, which is the last full year for which complete figures are available, Commission officials from
Brussels and Luxembourg undertook 2705 missions to Strasbourg in connection with duties related to the
meetings of the European Parliament. These missions cost a total of € 1,3 million in the year, and 124 of
them took place by car. The Commission is not aware of any accidents during missions to Strasbourg by
car. The Commission does not, therefore, have any details relating to accidents, injuries or deaths.

The Commission does not have detailed accident statistics for the relevant stretches of the Belgian,
Luxembourg and French road systems which would enable calculations of relative accident rates to be
made.

(2000/C 280 E/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2472/99

by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Council

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Common Air Traffic Control area throughout the EU

Is the Council aware that, because of its failure to agree a common Air Traffic Control area throughout the
EU with a common EU-wide capacity plan, average flight-time delays are set to rise to 50 minutes?

3.10.2000

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/51

Would not the Council agree that this situation is unacceptable and that it constitutes a failure by the
Member States towards passengers and airlines which they should begin to remedy immediately?

Reply

(13 March 2000)

The Council shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concern. In its Resolution of 19 July 1999 (1) the Council
noted that the situation in air traffic delays undermined the efficiency of Community air transport, caused
great inconvenience to air travellers and could cause an additional burden on the environment. Having
welcomed the action taken by the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) to
improve the efficiency of air traffic management in Europe, it invited the Member States to intensify their
action at national level and the Commission to submit a communication aimed at reducing air traffic
delays and congestion in Europe.

Further to that Resolution, the Commission submitted to the Council, at its meeting on 9 and 10 December
1999, a general communication on the subject aimed at the creation of a (cid:145)single European sky(cid:146). The
Council took particular note of the Commission(cid:146)s intention to set up a high-level group that would bring
together the parties responsible for the management of air traffic in the Member States and cover the civil
and military use of airspace, while taking due account of the interests of the end users of air transport.

The Council is awaiting the Commission(cid:146)s report on the group(cid:146)s findings so that it can discuss them at its
meeting in June 2000.

(1) OJ C 222, 4.8.1999, p. 1.

(2000/C 280 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2476/99

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Complaint about harassment

On 20 November 1998 a national expert seconded to the Commission made a complaint to his superiors
about harassment. The individual resubmitted his complaint on 4 December 1998.

Despite the Commission recommendations on the subject, no action was taken to protect the individual
concerned.

On 25 February 1999 he was unfairly relieved of his duties and his request for the renewal of his contract,
which was supported by the Commission, was rejected.

These facts appear to constitute a breach of the principles relating to the protection of victims laid down
in the Commission recommendations.

The Commission only decided to launch an internal investigation procedure three months after the first
complaint.

The procedure has still not been completed.

1. What is the official procedure for dealing with complaints about harassment within the Commission?

2. What measures may the Commission take to protect victims?

3. What sanctions may the Commission apply to those responsible for harassment?

4. What is the time limit for the completion of the internal procedures and what safeguards exist to
ensure impartiality?

5. What measures are provided for to compensate the victims of harassment?