WRITTEN QUESTION E-3463/01 by Enrico Ferri (PPE-DE) and Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Air safety checks.
Date: 2002-01-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European standard, International Civil Aviation Organisation, air safety, air space, air traffic, safety standard, user guide

C 147 E/182

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2002

The Community response to these concerns has always been that Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 is in line
with Codex, as its is necessary to avoid consumers being mislead, and in line with GATT as it does not
discriminate against
imported ‘sardines’. The objective of Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 is market
transparency and consumer information.

On 24 July 2001 a World Trade Organisation (WTO) panel was established at the request of Peru to
examine the WTO compatibility of Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89. Peru claims that the Community
Regulation violates the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement and article III of GATT as it does not
allow the use of the trade description ‘sardine’ for Peru’s ‘sardinops’.

Venezuela, Canada, United States, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia are third parties to this procedure and
support Peru as they also have species of fish that they would like to sell under the trade description
‘sardine’ in the Community.

Parties have already submitted their first submissions and the first meeting with the panel has been held on
27-28 November 2001. The final report to WTO members is expected by the beginning of April 2002.
The Commission is convinced that Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 is fully in line with its international
obligations and does not constitute a discriminatory measure vis-à-vis any of the Andean countries or any
other WTO Member.

With regard to the reference laboratories, the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its
answer to Written Question E-3971/98 by Mr Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (1).

Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 of 17 December 1999 on the common organisation of the markets
in fishery and aquaculture products (2) does not foresee any action regarding a temporary scheme of
compensatory indemnities for preserved products. However, article 14.1. b) of Council Regulation (EC)
No 2792 of 17 December 1999 laying down the detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community
structural assistance in the fisheries sector (3) enables Member States to take measures to promote new
market outlets for fishery products, including promotion campaigns.

(1) OJ C 325, 12.11.1999.
(2) OJ L 17, 21.1.2000.
(3) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2002/C 147 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3463/01

by Enrico Ferri (PPE-DE) and Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Air safety checks

(4 January 2002)

The collision at Milan’s Linate airport on 8 October 2001 between an SAS MD-87, which was about to
take off, and a private plane (a German Cessna), which was on a side runway, killed 118 people and
caused great alarm worldwide.

After the impact the Scandinavian airliner crashed into the hangar which houses the baggage handling
centre, cutting it in half. This started a fire involving both the wreck of the aircraft and the hangar.

The mistake and faulty information seem to have been caused not only by the fog, but also the ground
radar, which had not been working since November 1999 and therefore contributed substantially to the
human error.

Although the SMGCS (Surface Movement Ground Control System) at Linate was considered antiquated and
it had been decided to replace it two years before, it was actually never replaced.

Such inefficiencies happen not only at Milan, but also a large number of other airports in Europe.

20.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 147 E/183

Does the Commission not consider it appropriate to adopt stricter Community legislation for safety checks
at airports, obliging Member States to adopt appropriate provisions, including some designed to reveal the
malfunctioning of safety instruments, which, in the event of an emergency, would be capable of preventing
disasters on this scale?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2002)

Considering the continuous increase of air traffic and the necessity to operate in any weather conditions,
improving safety at all the Community airports was already felt necessary even before the Linate accident.

During the last ten years, the Commission has funded a series of research activities to support the
preparation of a European ICAO A-SMGCS (Advanced Surface Movement Guidance & Control System)
Manual. This Manual
is intended to provide necessary inputs both to airport authorities and to the
providers for the installation of systems that would ensure a high level of safety for airport surface
operations.

At present, this Manual is being finished. The Commission will assess whether all or part of it should be
made mandatory on the basis of the ‘Single Sky’ proposals presently under consideration in Parliament and
Council (1).

Furthermore, the Commission would expect that the development of satellite-based positioning devices
(Galileo) will also contribute to improving the safety of airport operations.

(1) COM(2001) 564 final.

(2002/C 147 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3466/01

by José Pomés Ruiz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 December 2001)

Subject: Euronews reports on the ETA terrorist group

Euronews reports refer to the ETA terrorist group as a separatist group.

This offends the sensibility of all democrats. In my own case, as a Member of the European Parliament
whose family has been the victim of ETA terror in three attacks, I begin to wonder why the European
Parliament is financing a news channel whose reports are dictated, in the best of cases, by fear of ETA
terror.

Is the Commission aware that Euronews uses the word separatist rather than terrorist when referring to
ETA, which is a criminal organisation?

Given that ETA has been included in the list of terrorist organisations, who is responsible for the fact that
Euronews does not respect ETA’s classification as a terrorist group, when this has been accepted by all the
EU countries? Will the Commission take any disciplinary measures to prevent Euronews from continuing
to describe ETA as a separatist organisation?