WRITTEN QUESTION E-1655/02 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission. Support for small airports in the European Union.
Date: 2002-06-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air safety, airport, civil aviation, economic development, island, safety standard

C 277 E/234

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

The five Eurogramme employees working in the premises of the Commission are not ‘submarines’, nor is
there any conflcit of interests. The fact is that the contractual framework for these activities is the Fifth
Community Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. This programme allows
the Commission to make use of service providers, who are authorised to work on Commission premises in
order to play a part in the implementation of research activities. The Eurogramme service provider,
selected after a call for tenders, gave an undertaking that it would not be involved in any research work in
connection with the specific programme in which its employees were partly involved. The commitment
has been complied with. In addition, the employees in question signed a declaration of non-conflict of
interests. The Commission services are satisfied with this contract.

Eurogramme has never been involved in any PPP-related work for Eurostat.

The situation of the official within her unit was discussed in depth by her and Eurostat’s Administration
and Staff Unit, as well as by her Head of Unit and the Administration and Staff Unit. Following these
discussions, it was jointly agreed that in her interest and in the interest of the service the official should be
transferred with her post to another Eurostat unit.

(2002/C 277 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1655/02

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Support for small airports in the European Union

(11 June 2002)

for a European Parliament and Council regulation (1) on
Documents such as the recent proposal
establishing common rules in the field of civil aviation security make a distinction between small and
major airports. Since small airports are absolutely vital for the economic survival and development of the
Union’s island regions, which cannot rely on passenger and freight traffic through those airports, will the
Commission say whether it has taken any measures to support the operation of the airports on small
islands and, if not, whether it intends to do so?

Has the Commission taken precautions to ensure that the new security measures to be implemented at
European airports are not so onerous for small island airports that they are in danger of having to suspend
their operations?

(1) OJ C 51 E, 26.2.2002, p. 221.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2002)

The Honourable Member refers to Community legislation on aviation security. The purpose of this
legislation is to ensure that Union citizens are guaranteed a solid and enforceable base standard of aviation
security through the Union, regardless of the size of the airport where they board their aeroplane.

Of course the Commission does not wish to apply disproportionately strict rules to very small airports that
would jeopardise their functioning. For this reason Article 4 of the Commission Proposal does permit
Member States to apply security standards based on local risk assessments that are different to those laid
down in the Regulation as a whole.

However, this exemption will only apply to airports that have either:

; a yearly average of no more than two commercial flights per day; or

; with only general aviation flights, or

; with commercial activity limited to aircraft with less than 10 tonnes of maximum take-off weight or

less than 20 seats.

In the view of the Commission, this exemption should cover all small airports that would have genuine
difficulties in applying the proposed Community requirements in full.