WRITTEN QUESTION E-2793/01 by Manuel Medina Ortega (PSE) to the Commission. Subsidies for sea transport in the Canaries.
Date: 2001-10-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Canary Islands, State aid, control of State aid, maritime transport

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/159

temporary continuation of intervention by Member States until the end of 2001, should the need for such
cover persist and on condition that this does not place the airlines in a more favourable position than
prior to the withdrawal of their insurance cover. With regard to security, the Commission considered that
the reinforcement of certain security measures should be borne by the Member State.

Also, in application of the anti-trust rules of the EC Treaty, the Commission announced that it would give
favourable consideration to certain agreements between airlines, such as capacity coordination agreements
intended exclusively to maintain a regular service on ‘thinner’ routes or at off-peak times of the day. In
addition, the Commission announced that it would monitor the developments and that it would reexamine
the measures announced in its Communication if there was such a need.

In the context of the Communication, the Commission took into consideration the situation of smaller
airlines and their continued moves to restructure. The Commission leaves the choice of privatisation or not
to the Member State. It cannot recommend either privatisation or impose a stop on privatisation.

The Communication of the Commission was presented to the Council of Ministers for Transport at their
meeting in Luxembourg on 16 October 2001 where it received their acknowledgement and support for
the proposed measures.

(1) COM(2001) 574 final.

(2002/C 115 E/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2793/01

by Manuel Medina Ortega (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Subsidies for sea transport in the Canaries

(9 October 2001)

Can the Commission say what criteria and conditions are applicable for the granting of subsidies to
shipping within in the Canaries and between the islands and continental Europe? Is any distinction made
between publicly and privately owned companies operating such services?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 November 2001)

The criteria and conditions governing subsidies to shipping to which the Honourable Member refers are
laid down in the Community guidelines on State aid to shipping (1), which apply both to links between the
Canaries and the rest of the peninsula and to links within the Canaries archipelago.

These guidelines define the conditions under which public, national and regional aid to shipping
companies is considered to be compatible with the common market. The Commission does not make any
distinction between publicly and privately owned companies. Any discrimination would be contrary to the
principle of neutrality as regards property ownership in Article 295 (formerly Article 222) of the EC Treaty.

(1) OJ C 205, 5.7.1997.

(2002/C 115 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2798/01

by Theresa Zabell (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Air security

Following the recent events in the USA, numerous security measures have been adopted at airports, to the
point that one cannot travel with any pointed object and that hand luggage is subject to frequent checks.