WRITTEN QUESTION E-2718/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Launch aid for Airbus Industrie's A3XX aircraft.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: State aid, United States, bilateral agreement, civil aviation, competition, project of common interest

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/157

This is reflected in the constant rise of the respective shares of exports and imports of goods and services
in GDP, from around 25 % for Community exports in 1991 to around 35 % in 1999/2000. However, for
this measure there is a considerable variation among Member States, varying (for exports in the 1st quarter
of 2000, for those Member States for which quarterly figures exist) from 80,5 % for Belgium to 29,6 % for
Italy.

No particular shift in trends could be identified for the period from 1999 onwards, the beginning of the
third stage of economic and monetary union, for those Member States being part of the euro area. Equally,
the close parallelism between the euro area and the Community as a whole as regards trade elasticities and
trade shares has continued to prevail.

The lack of visible effects from the introduction of the euro should not come as a surprise, as the available
time span (5 quarters) is still too short to measure the eventual impact, given the mentioned volatility of
the underlying figures. The expected effects might materialize with some delay, adding to the above
mentioned measurement problem. Some diversion of trade with third countries to intra-euro area trade
might have taken place. The aggregate effects on total trade might therefore be small. As the Commission
publishes only trade figures for total trade, such trade diversion effects would not easily be discovered
(Eurostat(cid:146)s customs trade statistics distinguish between intra-and extra Community trade, but these are only
in value terms and do not include trade in services).

Finally the completion of the internal market, with, notably, the abolition of barriers to trade in goods and
services and movement of capital, was a major event for the volume and structure of cross-border trade
flows of Member States. The adaptation of cross-border trade to that change of regime is still taking place
and overlays any other parallel effects on cross-border trade, such as the introduction of the single
currency.

(2001/C 113 E/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2718/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Launch aid for Airbus Industrie(cid:146)s A3XX aircraft

1. What measures has the Commission taken to ensure that the launch aid proposed by the British,
German, French and Spanish Governments for Airbus Industrie(cid:146)s A3XX aircraft does not distort competi-
tion for other segments of the EU civil aviation market?

Is the Commission concerned that the launch aid proposed for Airbus Industrie(cid:146)s A3XX aircraft may

2.
lead to retaliatory measures being taken by the United States which may affect other EU businesses?

3.

4.

Does it therefore regard the launch aid as a matter of common EU concern?

If so, how has it expressed this concern?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

1.
The fundamental position of the Commission is that the R&D aid for Airbus Industrie does not affect
trade between Member States and so is not caught by Article 87(1) (former Article 92) of the EC Treaty
(cf. most recently the Commission decision of 22 December 1998 concerning aid N 369/98 (cid:129) France (cid:129)
Repayable advance to AØrospatiale for the Airbus A340-500/600 (1)).

C 113 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

In 1992 the Community and the United States concluded a bilateral agreement on trade in large civil

2.
aircraft which governs public support for the European and US aerospace industries.

The Member States and the Commission intend to abide strictly by the conditions laid down in that
agreement, as they have done in the past.

The Commission assumes that the United States too is determined to abide by the agreement.

3.
and 4. Even assuming that the launch aid planned by a number of Member States for the A3XX is
regarded asbeing caught by Article 87(1), such aid should normally qualify for the exception under Article
87(3)(b) in respect of important projects of European interest.

(1) OJ C 52, 23.2.1999.

(2001/C 113 E/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2727/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Price of arable land

Would the Commission give figures on some comparable basis for the price of a hectare of similar arable
land in each of the Member States over each of the last ten years, or for as long a period as is possible?

Will it also give comparable figures for the United States, Canada, Australia and Argentina?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 October 2000)

Most Member States have provided the Commission with figures on agricultural land prices every year
since 1973.

Figures for the period 1977-1998, accompanied by methodological information to help interpret them,
were published by Eurostat in the 1999 edition of (cid:145)Agricultural land prices and rents in the European
Union(cid:146) (1).

Figures on agricultural land prices come from administrative sources in most Member States, having been
recorded by the land registration or tax authorities. The main methodological differences between
Member States are explained in the above-mentioned publication. The lack of comparability between
Member States lies in the fact that Member States supply figures on agricultural land prices voluntarily.

The Commission has no comparable figures for the United States, Canada, Australia or Argentina.

(1)

ISBN 92-828-8381-7.