WRITTEN QUESTION E-2468/00 by Paulo Casaca (PSE), Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR), Margie Sudre (PPE-DE), Roy Perry (PPE-DE), Mariotto Segni (UEN) and Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission. Islands.
Date: 2000-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: aviation fuel, competence of the Member States, derogation from EU law, fuel tax, island region

C 103 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

(2001/C 103 E/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2444/00

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

(19 July 2000)

Subject: High speed road links between Santiago and Lugo and between Lugo and Ourense (Galicia)

On Saturday, 19 June, the Spanish Government(cid:146)s Ministry of Public Works(cid:146) official responsible for Galicia
said that the above high speed road links would be built in 2007. Are these roads provided for under the
Community Support Framework which the Commission agreed with the Spanish Government for the
period 2000-2006? What is the nature of these road links? What was the budget allocated to them, and
what annual programming do the investments to be made come under?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(29 September 2000)

Having completed negotiations with the Spanish authorities, the Commission is now finalising the 2000-
2006 Community Support Framework (CSF) for the Objective 1 regions of Spain, which include Galicia.

As the CSF does not go into detail on the projects to be financed during the programming period, it would
be premature to comment at this stage on the particulars of projects that may be selected under the CSF(cid:146)s
operational programmes.

(2001/C 103 E/177)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2448/00

by Fernando FernÆndez Mart(cid:237)n (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 July 2000)

Subject: Islands

The Commission is currently considering the possibility of placing a tax on the aviation fuel used on all
flights leaving Community airports.

Is it aware that, owing to the obvious lack of road or rail links (and, in the case of most of the most
remote regions,
the fact that even maritime links are impracticable for normal passenger transport
purposes), island regions in the EU depend extremely heavily on air transport for their relations with the
outside world?

Does it intend to propose that, pursuant to Article 299 (2) (most remote regions) and Article 158 of the
EC Treaty and Declaration No 30 annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty, links with or between islands be
exempted from this measure, which would further isolate such regions?

(2001/C 103 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2468/00

by Paulo Casaca (PSE), Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR),
Margie Sudre (PPE-DE), Roy Perry (PPE-DE), Mariotto Segni (UEN)
and Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Islands

The Commission is currently studying the possibility of taxing aviation fuel. This would mean a fuel tax on
all flights from Community airports.

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/159

Is the Commission aware of the EU island regions(cid:146) extreme dependence on air transport, as it is clearly
impossible for them to join the road or rail network (and, in the case of most of the most outlying regions,
impossible for them even to use regular sea passenger transport)?

On the basis of Article 299 (2) (for the most outlying regions), Article 158, and Declaration No 30
adopted at Amsterdam, does the Commission intend to propose derogations for links with or between
islands as this measure will aggravate the problems caused by their isolation?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2448/00 and E-2468/00
given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The Commission is aware of the air-transport situation in the outermost regions.

Echoing the Chicago Convention (1), Council Directive 92/81/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the harmonisa-
tion of the structures of excise duties on mineral oils (2) currently imposes an obligatory exemption for fuel
for commercial air transport. A proposal for a Council Directive on the taxation of energy products (3),
intended to replace Directive 92/81/EEC, allows Members States to opt to tax aviation fuel used on
domestic flights and, subject to bilateral agreement, flights between Member States. Furthermore,
in a
recent communication (4), the Commission proposes that the Member States step up their cooperation in
the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) with a view to introducing taxation of aviation fuel
and other instruments with similar effects. This communication is being discussed with Parliament.

As regards the specific circumstances of the outermost regions, Member States could, subject to Commun-
ity rules, and in particular those on state aids, and in the light of the articles of the EC Treaty cited by the
Honourable Members, negotiate derogations in their bilateral agreements.

(1) OJ L 316, 31.10.1992.
(2) The 1944 Chicago Convention, which set up the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), governs the
taxation of fuel already on board an aircraft. The taxation of fuel loaded en route is governed by a large number of
bilateral air services agreements (ASAs) either between two Member States or between a Member State and a non-
member country. These agreements generally contain a clause exempting from taxation both fuel in transit and fuel
supplied in the territory of the contracting parties. ASAs can, of course, be renegotiated to abolish the exemption
for fuel supplied on the territory of the contracting parties. Renegotiation could, however, take a lot of time and
involve a lot of red tape. Moreover, a change in the tax status of fuel in transit would require the renegotiation of
the bilateral ASAs and the relevant provisions of the Chicago Convention.

(3) OJ C 139, 6.5.1997.
(4) Communication from the Commission to the Council,

the European Parliament,

the Economic and Social

Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Taxation of aircraft fuel (COM(2000) 110 final).

(2001/C 103 E/179)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2458/00

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Seizure of passports of suspected football hooligans by the German authorities

Does the Council believe that the seizing of the passports of approximately five hundred suspected football
hooligans by the German authorities immediately prior to the Euro 2000 football tournament was
compatible with the European Treaties?