WRITTEN QUESTION E-2290/00 by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission. DOTS anti-tuberculosis drugs programme.
Date: 2000-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: infectious disease, medicinal product, research expenditure (EU), research programme

C 89 E/176

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

This kind of approach has been confirmed by the Parliament, when it adopted the budget 2000 requesting
specifically that all grants should include at least a co-financing part of 20 % coming from the beneficiary
(comment to budget line A-302).

(2001/C 89 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2290/00

by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission

(11 July 2000)

Subject: DOTS anti-tuberculosis drugs programme

Is the Commission aware of the DOTS anti-tuberculosis drugs programme, which has been highly praised
by the World Bank and the WHO?

What support is the EU presently giving to the DOTS drugs programme?

What EU support is planned for the DOTS programme in the future?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2000)

The Commission is aware and fully supportive of World Health Organisation (WHO) activities on
tuberculosis (TB), such as the (cid:145)Stop TB(cid:146) initiative, based on the directly observed therapy short course
(DOTS) strategy.

Many initiatives undertaken by the Community are important for TB control in Europe and in the rest of
the world, such as the Community network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of commu-
nicable diseases (1), that brings into permanent communication the institutes and public health authorities
dealing with infectious diseases. The Community action programme on acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS) and other communicable diseases (2), provides financial assistance to projects such as
Euro-TB (surveillance of tuberculosis in 51 countries of the WHO European Region). Assistance pro-
grammes in favour of Central Eastern European Countries and New Independent States provide funding for
projects in the area of disease prevention and control and health care system reform. The Commission
plans to implement a Tacis project in Ukraine under the action programme 2000 to assist in combating
TB by implementing the WHO recommended DOTS strategy, and by producing TB drugs that are
compliant with good manufacturing practices.

In the field of development policy the Community has recently reiterated its commitment to combat the
three major health scourges in Africa, human immunodeficiecy virus (HIV)/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
In the context of
the
Commission finances a project in Zambia aimed at the decentralization of TB treatment by using the
DOTS strategy (€ 1 million).

the international cooperation with developing countries (INCO) programme,

Through humanitarian aid during the last years the Commission has supported TB control projects in
Russia based on the DOTS strategy with a financial contribution of about € 3 million. Furthermore, the
Commission has funded other projects related to TB control in Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine for a
total of about € 8 million.

In Community research policy under the fifth framework programme,
(cid:145)Research for development(cid:146) is a
priority area in international cooperation, and (cid:145)Infectious diseases(cid:146) is a key action that supports major
projects on TB vaccine and drug development, as well as on epidemiology and diagnosis.

20.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/177

These Community actions, which complement initiatives undertaken by national authorities and interna-
tional organisations, indicate a real commitment to fight tuberculosis throughout the world.

(1) Decision No 2119/98/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 24.9.1998 (OJ L 268, 3.10.1998).
(2) Decision No 647/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 29.3.1996 (OJ L 95, 16.4.1996).

(2001/C 89 E/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2294/00

by James Nicholson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 July 2000)

Subject: Upper age limit for commercial pilots

Is the Commission aware of the imposition by the French Government of an upper age limit for
commercial pilots flying over French airspace?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 2000)

The Commission is aware of the situation in France with regard to age limits for pilots.

At present flight crew licences are recognised for the purpose of overflying and landing of international
civil flights, provided they are issued in accordance with Annex I to the Chicago Convention. This Annex
contains a standard, which prohibits the exercise of pilot-in-command duties on commercial flights beyond
the age of 60 years and carries a recommendation that over-sixties should not fulfil co-pilot duties on such
flights. Accordingly, while certain States have filed a (cid:145)difference(cid:146) to Annex I to the Convention in order to
allow their own licences to remain valid for exercising duties on board commercial airplanes beyond this
limit, there are no powers which can oblige other States to accept this difference for the overflight of their
territory.

The Joint Aviation Authorities work on the harmonisation of flight crew licensing rules produced a
compromise, which allows licences to remain valid for exercising duties on board commercial airplanes
until their holders are 65, provided that they operate such duties on multi-crew airplanes where the other
pilot is aged less than 60 years. Nevertheless such a compromise is not binding on JAA Member States and
they still can decide not to accept overflight of their territory by commercial planes in which the pilot in
command is more than 60 years of age.

in the coming months a proposal

Commission services will present
to harmonise standards and
requirements for flight crew licensing throughout the Community. They have declared their willingness
to adhere as much as possible to the proposal of the JAA, including age limits, but obviously it is not
possible to prejudge the final decision that the Commission might take in the light of the necessary
consultations. Moreover, this proposal will be further discussed in the Parliament and the Council. There
can therefore be no certainty about the final result.

In summary, as long as the rules on flight crew licensing have not been harmonised at Community level,
each Member State is free to lay down its own rules on the issue. Of course, the rules have to comply with
the general principles of Community law such as, non discrimination and proportionality.