WRITTEN QUESTION E-2877/01 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. State aid for Ryanair at Charleroi airport.
Date: 2001-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, State aid, Walloon region (Belgium), air transport, carriage of passengers, competition law, exchange of information, restriction on competition

C 115 E/182

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

Nevertheless, Andalusians travelling to France to work in the grape harvest are still making two demands
aimed at obtaining decent conditions for their work: that they should have a contract before leaving their
homes and that they should be given adequate accommodation, with all the needs of people who work for
more than 14 hours a day being provided for.

Could the Commission play a part in ensuring that Andalusian workers taking part in the French wine
harvest achieve their objective of securing decent living and working conditions in return for their work
and long hours, and that they have a contract before leaving their homes in order to prevent the fraud and
deception which they face when they do not have any document regulating their work obligations in the
wine harvest?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(14 November 2001)

First, the Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to Council Directive 91/533/
EEC of 14 October 1991 on an employer’s obligation to inform employees of the conditions applicable to
the contract or employment relationship (1). The aim of this Directive is to provide employees with greater
protection against possible infringements of their rights, and Article 2 of the Directive provides that the
employer is obliged to notify the employee of the essential aspects of the contract or employment
relationship.

Member States may provide that the provisions of this Directive are not applicable, for example to
employees whose contracts are of a total duration not exceeding one month.

Second, under Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 of the Council of 15 October 1968 on freedom of movement
for workers within the Community (2), seasonal workers have the right to be treated in the same way as
employees who are nationals of the Member State where they work,
including in terms of housing
(Article 9(1)). These workers may therefore demand all the rights and benefits, in terms of housing, which
are accorded to national workers in the same situation.

(1) OJ L 288, 18.10.1991.
(2) OJ L 257, 19.10.1968.

(2002/C 115 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2877/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(22 October 2001)

Subject: State aid for Ryanair at Charleroi airport

In answer to question P-1767/01 (1), the Commission says that ‘that in the light of recent press articles
(author’s note: concerning assistance from the Region of Wallonia for Ryanair’s operations at Charleroi
airport)
it intends to check whether the information it obtained earlier is still valid’. However, other
regional airports are querying the aid from the Region of Wallonia; according to them, there is a flagrant
breach of Community competition rules.

Apparently the Region of Wallonia grants the following assistance to Ryanair at Charleroi Airport:

@ funding of training for cabin and check-in staff;

@ a fee of BEF 5 000 per aircraft is charged for handling (sorting of baggage, accompanying passengers
etc.) which does not even cover costs whereas other airlines were previously charged BEF 60 000 per
aircraft;

16.5.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/183

@ free handling for the third daily flight to Dublin; BSCA (Brussels South Charleroi Airport) staff are

placed at the disposal of Ryanair and paid for using public funds;

@ concealed subsidies through which the Region of Wallonia enables Ryanair to offer free tickets to

passengers.

After checking whether the information obtained earlier is still valid (relating to state aid from the Region
of Wallonia for the activities of Ryanair at Charleroi airport), does the Commission still consider that the
assistance provided by the Region of Wallonia is compatible with Community competition rules? If so, on
what arguments does the Commission base this view? If not, what steps will the Commission take to
ensure that the Region of Wallonia and Ryanair comply with Community competition rules as soon as
possible?

(1) OJ C 350 E, 11.12.2001, p. 222.

(2002/C 115 E/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2941/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 October 2001)

Subject: State aid for Ryanair at Charleroi airport

In answer to question P-1767/01 (1), the Commission says that ‘that in the light of recent press articles
(author’s note: concerning assistance from the Region of Wallonia for Ryanair’s operations at Charleroi
airport) it intends to check whether the information it obtained earlier is still valid’.

However, other regional airports are querying the aid from the Region of Wallonia; according to them,
there is a flagrant breach of Community competition rules. According to the newspaper the Echo (see De
Standaard of 5 July 2001), the support granted to Ryanair by the Region of Wallonia amounts to EUR 3
million a year. In total, Ryanair has apparently received EUR 12 million in subsidies and concessions at
Charleroi.

After checking whether the information obtained earlier is still valid (relating to state aid from the Region
of Wallonia for the activities of Ryanair at Charleroi airport), does the Commission still consider that the
assistance provided by the Region of Wallonia is compatible with Community competition rules? If so, on
what arguments does the Commission base this view? If not, what steps will the Commission take to
ensure that the Region of Wallonia and Ryanair comply with Community competition rules as soon as
possible?

(1) OJ C 350 E, 11.12.2001, p. 222.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2877/01 and E-2941/01
given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2001)

Acting on information published in the press at the beginning of the summer concerning possible
advantages connected with the operation of air services allegedly enjoyed by Ryanair at Charleroi airport,
in September 2001 the Commission requested information from the Belgian authorities in order to assess
the nature of possible advantages enjoyed by Ryanair in relation to the rules of the EC Treaty on State aid.
On the basis of the information that it receives, the Commission will decide what action to take in this
connection.