WRITTEN QUESTION E-0379/00 by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Measures to provide information on the current denied-boarding compensation system.
Date: 2000-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air transport, carriage of passengers, common transport policy, consumer information, consumer protection, indemnification, public awareness campaign, regulation (EU), reservation

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/145

If the measures to which the question refers apply to university and higher education establishments,
where the purpose of the Member State is not to make a profit but to fulfil its duty to its population in the
social, cultural and educational field, this does not constitute a service within the meaning of the Treaty. In
fact, the system referred to is generally funded by the State and not by the students or their parents. In any
case, the nature of the activity is not affected by the fact that the students or their parents are sometimes
obliged to pay education fees to make some contribution to the operating costs.

(2000/C 330 E/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0379/00

by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Measures to provide information on the current denied-boarding compensation system

The Commission proposal COM(1998) 41 final (1) of 30 January 1998 proposed amendments to
Regulation (EEC) No 295/91 (2) and established common rules for a denied-boarding compensation system
in scheduled air transport.

In the proposal the Commission stated its intention of increasing information to passengers, which was
deemed insufficient, in particular by displaying notices at check-in counters (Article 3). In addition, the
Commission intended to launch an information campaign on passengers(cid:146) rights to compensation when
denied boarding.

Is the Commission aware that notices on passengers(cid:146) rights in cases of overbooking are not displayed on
check-in counters? Does it intend to take any measures to combat this?

Given the cases of malpractice by airlines of which the Commission is aware in which passengers have not
received compensation, or have been only partially compensated, as a direct result of a lack of information,
could the Commission indicate when it will carry out the information campaign to European citizens, and
the various forms this will take?

(1) OJ C 120, 18.4.1998, p. 18.
(2) OJ L 36, 8.2.1991, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 2000)

The Commission has for some years been concerned about the implementation and effectiveness of
Council Regulation (EEC) No 295/91 of 4 February 1991 establishing common rules for a denied-boarding
compensation system in scheduled air transport.
It became aware of a number of cases in which
passengers were not fully compensated, largely because they were not informed of their rights.

This led the Commission to propose, two years ago, the amendment of the Regulation. One aim of the
amending regulation was to improve information for passengers by the display of notices at check-in
points. However adoption of the regulation has not been completed by the Council. Consequently there is
no obligation at present to put up notices at check-in counters.

Faced by delay in the adoption of the amendment, the Commission recently launched a study on the
implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 295/91. The aim of the study is, first, to make an
inventory of the legal measures that Member States have taken to apply the regulation and of the rules that
airlines have laid down to deal with overbooking and, second, to assess how all these measures have
worked in practice. The Commission will then consider whether further action is needed.

C 330 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

However the Commission well understands the necessity of ensuring passengers are informed about their
rights, if they are to insist on their respect. For that reason, it plans to launch an immediate initiative to
improve information to passengers. It intends to arrange for the publication and display, in airports, travel
agencies and the offices of airlines, of a charter of all existing rights. This would cover compensation for
denied boarding, among other things.

(2000/C 330 E/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0381/00

by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Improving road safety by tackling accident (cid:145)black spots(cid:146) and sections of road with high accident

rates

The most recent information concerning the new communication on road safety currently being drawn up
by the Commission seems to indicate that the new programme (cid:145)classifies(cid:146) the proposed measures by order
of effectiveness, on the basis of the now-popular measure of EUR 1 million.

However, like previous programmes, which were too general in nature, the new communication may miss
a unique opportunity to take more decisive action on infrastructure and, more specifically, on (cid:145)black spots(cid:146),
using engineering techniques which experts term (cid:145)low cost(cid:146).

What effectiveness rating does the Commission(cid:146)s new communication attach to tackling accident black
spots and improving sections of road with high accident rates as a road safety measure?

Does the Commission intend to issue Europe-wide recommendations on the definition and typology of
these (cid:145)low-cost engineering techniques(cid:146)?

Finally, does the Commission intend to draw up Europe-wide recommendations on tackling accident black
spots, and to create a budget line for co-financing relevant projects at national level?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2000)

In its forthcoming communication on road safety,
infrastructure measures including
improvements to the layout and design of roadside objects to reduce the severity of injury in a road
accident, and management of black spots, have been identified as priorities.

the low cost

In general these measures appear to be very cost-effective with an estimated cost per avoided fatality
starting at around € 80 000.

Investments in these infrastructure measures have to be left to local authorities but the Commission will
develop guidelines in order to exchange best practice experience. Moreover authorities at all levels are
recommended to bring the benefit of such measures closer to those who decide on the investments by
means of targeted financial programmes.