WRITTEN QUESTION P-3117/01 by Karin Riis-Jørgensen (ELDR) to the Commission. The aviation industry following 11 September 2001.
Date: 2001-11-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: State aid, United States, air transport, carriage of passengers, international transport, restriction on competition, terrorism

C 134 E/202

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

As for knowing whether the Commission shares the view that a project of this nature should be the
subject of an architectural competition, the Commission would point out that the Belgian authorities are at
liberty to choose whichever procedure(s)
they consider to be the most appropriate (architectural
competition, service contract, works contract), in compliance with the applicable Community law. Since
this law contains no obligation to make use of the competition procedure, in certain specific cases, the
Commission is unable to comment on this point.

(2002/C 134 E/210)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3114/01

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 November 2001)

Subject: Health spending

Could the Council please indicate, as a proportion of GDP, expenditure on healthcare in each EU

1.
Member State by:

(a) governments,

(b)

individuals?

Could it also please indicate average EU expenditure on healthcare as a proportion of GDP, using the

2.
most recent figures available?

Reply

(18 February 2002)

The Council does not receive data on health care expenditure in EU Member States and therefore is not in
a position to reply to the Honourable Member’s questions.

Until now, these figures were published by the OECD. However, in the future, Eurostat and the OECD will
cooperate to collect and update such data for publication.

(2002/C 134 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3117/01

by Karin Riis-Jørgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: The aviation industry following 11 September 2001

(5 November 2001)

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 11 September 2001 have
exacerbated the crisis in the aviation industry in the USA and Europe. The US authorities have responded
by granting their industry an aid package worth some $ 15 billion. The crisis has also entailed a reduction
in the number of departures for many airlines both in the USA and Europe.

7 What steps will the Commission take to monitor the US authorities’ aid package and its impact on the
it ensure that the aid package is consistent with

market in passenger transport, and how will
international trade agreements?

7 In the light of the Commission’s recent proposal on the allocation of slots at airports, what steps will
it take to ensure that airlines based in the country of departure are not given preferential treatment in
that respect, and what consequences does the Commission foresee if the proposal is adopted in its
present form?

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/203

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 2001)

The Commission is concerned that compensation may have given American airlines the financial means to
compete unfairly on the transatlantic routes with their European counterparts.

Unfortunately, the refusal of the Council to agree a mandate permitting formal negotiations at European
level with the United States in the air transport field has hindered so far a more vigorous response by the
Commission.

Nonetheless, the Commission was able to take some action at the highest level by communicating its
concern about the provision of this state aid through a letter to the American Secretary of State for
Transportation. Further high level contact between the Director-General for Energy and Transport and the
Deputy Secretary of Transportation in Washington permitted the Commission to propose for the
development of improved information exchange and cooperation procedures. This proposal could at least
ensure greater transparency on the issue.

The Council Regulation (EEC) No 95/93 of 18 January 1993, on the allocation of slots at Community
airports (1) provides for neutral and non-discriminatory rules for the allocation of slots. The modifications
proposed by the Commission further reenforce the independence of the slot co-ordinator, clarify the rules
and introduce sanctions to ensure better enforcement of the rules.

(1) OJ L 14, 22.1.1993.

(2002/C 134 E/212)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3121/01

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 November 2001)

Subject: Tunnel safety

The latest fatal accident which occurred on 24 October in the Gotthard tunnel and killed 11 people has
re-opened the issue of tunnel safety with a vengeance.

In view of this, does the Commission plan to take the necessary action by drawing up a proposal, in
particular as regards:

7 technical equipment (early accident detection systems, ventilation, safety recesses, evacuation tunnels

etc.);

7 traffic regulations (restrictions on high-risk vehicles, minimum distance between vehicles, alternating

traffic flow);

7 staff training and speed of emergency service response?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(10 December 2001)

As already stated in the ‘White Paper on European transport policy for 2010: time to decide’ (1), the
Commission will propose at the beginning of 2002 a directive aimed at harmonising minimum safety
standards in tunnels.

The proposed directive will deal with the subjects already mentioned by the Honourable Member, as well
as with better information for users, better communication between tunnel operators and drivers as well as
better traffic management and prevention of accidents.