WRITTEN QUESTION E-0110/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Decentralisation of air communications.
Date: 2000-01-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air space, air traffic, airline, airport, common transport policy, decentralisation, liberalisation of the market, organisation of transport

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,