WRITTEN QUESTION E-0111/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Environmental deterioration of the river Tea in Galicia.
Date: 2000-01-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law, Galicia, environmental impact, environmental protection, impact study, pollution of waterways, reparcelling

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/85

(cid:145)Options and limits for assessing the socio-economic impact of European RTD programmes(cid:146) is sent direct
to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat. The recommendations of the experts group are
currently being considered in the context of the monitoring and evaluation of the framework programme.

(2000/C 330 E/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0110/00

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

Subject: Decentralisation of air communications

(26 January 2000)

As part of the plans announced by the Member of the Commission responsible for transport in relation to
the Europeanisation of European air space, and in the light of the chaotic experience of recent years, will
the Commission encourage the decentralisation of air communications through the development of
alternative international airports such as that at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, thus avoiding
the congestion caused by the irrational concentration of flights in Madrid, where the central government
intends to focus yet more airport investment on the construction of new runways and even a new airport?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(8 March 2000)

Existing Community legislation on intra-Community air transport
implies that air carriers take the
decisions on their network structure including frequency of flights and localisation of connecting points
on the basis of their own commercial considerations taking into account factors such as airport charges,
availability of slots and size of the markets to be served. In relation to flights to and from third country
destinations, however, most of the bilateral air services agreements concluded individually by Member
States include rules which restrict the capacity of regional airports to attract additional traffic.

The Commission is of the opinion that direct public intervention in the commercial decisionmaking of air
carriers on the location of operations should be limited to specific situations such as safeguarding public
service operations or distribution of traffic within an airport system on the basis of specific rules
established by Community legislation. More general
interventions aimed at steering traffic from one
airport to another are incompatible with the rules and the goals of air transport liberalisation.

Notwithstanding these general principles the Commission is currently examining whether increasing
concentration of air transport operations towards few hub airports could be eased by appropriate support
measures for enhancing the role of regional airports (secondary hubs) in the overall airport system. It
intends to present the outcome of this examination in 2001. In addition, the Commission will continue
and strengthen its efforts to conclude air transport agreements for the Community as a whole with third
countries that would improve the possibility of regional airports to attract additional traffic.

(2000/C 330 E/094)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0111/00

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

Subject: Environmental deterioration of the river Tea in Galicia

(26 January 2000)

Ecological organisations have complained that the river Tea, which flows through south-western Galicia
is suffering serious environmental damage due to work linked to land
and joins the river Miæo,

C 330 E/86

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

consolidation in the municipality of Covelo, which has not been subject to any kind of environmental
assessment. The regional government of Galicia, which is responsible for the works, itself proposed the
river Tea for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. Given that the consolidation works are being financed
from the EAGGF, will the Commission carry out an investigation into those responsible for the ecological
damage caused?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2000)

The site (cid:145)R(cid:237)o Tea(cid:146), of 88 hectares, has been proposed by Spain as a site of Community importance (SIC) to
the NATURA 2000 network, under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1).

In response to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Written Question and a petition to the committee of petitions of
the Parliament (2), the Commission is conducting an investigation in order to assess whether the relevant
Community environmental
legislation has been complied with in this case. As further information is
required, the Commission has sent a letter requesting the observations of the Spanish authorities on this
issue.

The Commission will not hesitate to take all the necessary steps, including recourse to the procedure set
out in Article 226 (ex article 169) of the EC Treaty, to ensure full compliance with this legislation.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(2) 365/99.

(2000/C 330 E/095)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0117/00

by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Ban on night flights at Zaventem airport in Belgium

On 31 December 1999 the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport submitted a draft
ministerial decree, which was withdrawn on 12 January 2000 for wider consultations. The purpose of the
draft decree was to set noise quotas by introducing a system of maximum noise levels. However, it also
stipulated that, starting in the summer of 2003, commercial flights would be banned between 1 a.m. and
5 a.m.

The draft decree is based inter alia on Article 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992
on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes (1), which states that (cid:145)where serious
congestion and/or environmental problems exist the Member State responsible may ((cid:133)) impose conditions
on, limit or refuse the exercise of traffic rights(cid:146).

1. What action has the Belgian Transport Minister taken to comply with the requirement laid down in
Article 9(3) of the above Regulation that (cid:145)at least three months before the entry into force of the action(cid:146), he
(cid:145)inform the other Member States and the Commission(cid:146)?

Given the lack of European legislation governing the prohibition of night flights, does the ban on
2.
such flights at Zaventem airport only provided for in the draft decree not constitute a distortion of
competition between Belgian and other European air carriers within the meaning of Article 9(2), fourth
indent?

(1) OJ L 240, 24.8.1992, p. 8.