Common Position (EC) No 56/2002 of 30 September 2002 adopted by the Council, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, with a view to adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air
Date: 2002-09-30
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: air transport, carriage of passengers, data collection, data processing, dissemination of EU information, freight rate, postal service, statistical method, transport statistics

12.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 275 E/33

COMMON POSITION (EC) No 56/2002

adopted by the Council on 30 September 2002

with a view to adopting Regulation (EC) No . . ./2002 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of . . . on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air

(2002/C 275 E/02)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

(6) After a certain period, the Commission should submit a
report in order to allow an assessment of the application
of this Regulation to be made.

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 285 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (2),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (3),

Whereas:

(1) To carry out the tasks entrusted to them, in the context of
the Community air transport policy and that of the future
development of
the
the
Community institutions should have at
their disposal
comparable, consistent, synchronised and regular statistical
data on the scale and development of the carriage of
passengers,
the
and mail
Community or to and from the Community.

common transport policy,

air within

freight

by

(7) In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity laid down
in Article 5 of the Treaty, the creation of common stat-
istical standards that permit the production of harmonised
data is an action which can only be undertaken efficiently
at Community level. Such standards should be imple-
mented in each Member State under the authority of the
bodies and institutions in charge of producing official
statistics.

(8) Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997
on
reference
framework for the provisions laid down by this Regu-
lation.

Community

statistics (5)

provides

a

(9) The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Regulation should be
adopted in accordance with
Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying
down the procedures for the exercise of implementing
powers conferred on the Commission (6).

(2) There

are

currently

no

such

comprehensive

Community-wide statistics.

(10) The Statistical Programme Committee

established by
Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom (7) has been
consulted.

(3) Council Decision 1999/126/EC of 22 December 1998 on
the Community statistical programme (1998 to 2002) (4)
has identified the need to establish such statistics.

(4) The

common data

collection on a

comparable or
harmonised basis makes possible the provision of an inte-
grated system with reliable,
and prompt
information.

consistent

(5) The data for the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by
air should, where possible, be compatible with inter-
national data provided by the International Civil Aviation
Organisation (ICAO) and be made comparable, where
applicable,
the
different modes of transport.

as between Member States

and for

(1) OJ C 325, 6.12.1995, p. 11.
(2) OJ C 39, 12.2.1996, p. 25.
(3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 29 February 1996 (OJ C 78,
18.3.1996, p. 28), confirmed on 16 September 1999 (OJ C 54,
25.2.2000, p. 79), Council Common Position of 30 September
2002 and decision of the European Parliament of . . .
(not yet
published in the Official Journal).

(4) OJ L 42, 16.2.1999, p. 1.

(11) Arrangements for greater cooperation over the use of
Gibraltar airport were agreed in London on 2 December
1987 by the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom
in a joint declaration by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of
the two countries, and such arrangements have yet to
come into operation,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Objective

Member States shall establish statistical returns on the carriage
of passengers, freight and mail by commercial air services as
well as on civil aircraft movements to or from Community
airports, except for flights by State aircraft.

(5) OJ L 52, 22.2.1997, p. 1.
(6) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.
(7) OJ L 181, 28.6.1989, p. 47.

C 275 E/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12.11.2002

Article 2

Gibraltar

The application of

1.
this Regulation to the airport of
is understood to be without prejudice to the
Gibraltar
respective legal positions of the Kingdom of Spain and the
United Kingdom with regard to the dispute over sovereignty
over the territory in which the airport is situated.

the arrangements

The application of this Regulation to Gibraltar airport
2.
shall be suspended until
in the joint
declaration made by the Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of
Spain and the United Kingdom on 2 December 1987 come
into operation. The Governments of Spain and the United
Kingdom shall inform the Council of such date of entry into
operation.

(a) with fewer than 1 500 000 passenger units a year for
which no collection of data corresponding to those
specified in Annex I exists on the date of entry into
force of this Regulation;

(b) and for which the introduction of a new data-collection

system proves very difficult;

a Member State may for a limited time not exceeding three
years from 1 January 2003, in accordance with the procedure
laid down in Article 11(2), transmit data less complete than
those referred to in Annex I.

5.

Notwithstanding paragraph 2, for airports

Article 3

Data collection characteristics

(a)

for which no collection of data corresponding to those
specified in table B1 of Annex I exists on the date of
entry into force of this Regulation;

Each Member State shall collect statistical data relating to

1.
the following variables:

(a) passengers;

(b) freight and mail;

(c)

flight stages;

(d) passenger seats available;

(e) aircraft movements.

(b) and for which the introduction of a new data collection

system proves very difficult;

a Member State may, until 31 December 2003, in accordance
with the procedure laid down in Article 11(2), transmit only
existing data.

Article 4

Collection of data

The collection of data shall be based where possible on

1.
available sources, minimising the burden on respondents.

The statistical variables in each area, the nomenclatures for
their classification,
their periodicity of observation and the
definitions are set out in Annexes I and II.

2.
Respondents called upon by Member States to supply
information shall be obliged to give true and complete
information within the prescribed time limits.

2.
Each Member State shall collect all data set out in Annex
I for all Community airports in its territory with traffic in
excess of 150 000 passenger units annually.

A list of Community airports covered by the first subparagraph
shall be drawn up by the Commission and,
if necessary,
updated in accordance with the procedure laid down in
Article 11(2).

3.
For airports, apart from those having only occasional
commercial traffic, which are not covered by paragraph 2,
Member States shall transmit only an annual return of the
data specified in table C1 of Annex I.

4.

Notwithstanding paragraphs 2 and 3, for airports:

Article 5

Accuracy of statistics

The collection of data shall be based on complete returns,
unless other
established in
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 11(2).

standards of

accuracy

are

Article 6

Data processing

Member States shall use methods for data processing which
ensure that the data collected under Article 3 comply with
the standards of accuracy set out in Article 5.

12.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 275 E/35

Article 7

Article 10

Transmission of results

Implementing arrangements

1. Member States shall transmit to the Statistical Office of
the European Communities the results of the data processing
referred to in Article 6, including data declared confidential by
the Member States pursuant to domestic legislation or practice
concerning statistical confidentiality, in accordance with Regu-
lation (EC) No 322/97.

2.
The results shall be transmitted according to the data files
shown in Annex I. The files and the medium to be used for
transmission shall be
specified by the Commission in
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 11(2).

3.
The first period of observation shall begin on 1 January
2003. Transmission shall take place as soon as possible and no
later than six months after the end of the period of obser-
vation.

Article 8

Dissemination

The arrangements whereby the Commission publishes or
shall be drawn up in

1.
disseminates
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 11(2).

the statistical

results

2.
The Commission shall disseminate to the Member States
appropriate statistical results with a frequency similar to that
laid down for the transmission of results.

Article 9

Reports

1.
At the request of the Commission, Member States shall
communicate all information concerning the methods used in
the collection of data. Member States shall also, where appro-
priate, communicate to the Commission any substantive
changes to the collection methods used.

2.
After data have been collected over a period of three
years, the Commission shall submit a report to the European
Parliament and to the Council on experience acquired in the
application of this Regulation, in particular of Articles 7 and 8.

The arrangements for implementing this Regulation, including
measures for adaptation to economic and technical devel-
opments, in particular:

— adaptation of
Regulation,

the specifications in the Annexes to this

— adaptation of the data-collection characteristics (Article 3),

— the list of Community airports covered by Article 3(2),

— accuracy of statistics (Article 5),

— description of the data files, codes and the medium to be
to the Commission

transmission of

results

used for
(Article 7),

— dissemination of statistical results (Article 8),

shall be laid down by the Commission in accordance with the
procedure specified in Article 11(2).

Article 11

Committee procedure

1.
The Commission shall be assisted by the Statistical
Programme Committee established by Article 1 of Decision
89/382/EEC, Euratom.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the
provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at three months.

3.

The Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.

Article 12

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter
into force on the 20th day
following its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at . . .

For the European Parliament

The President

For the Council

The President

C 275 E/36

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12.11.2002

ANNEX I

RECORD STRUCTURE FOR DATA TRANSMISSION TO EUROSTAT

A. FLIGHT STAGE DATABASE (AT LEAST QUARTERLY DATA)

The ‘flight stage’ data refer to commercial air services only.

Data file record format

Elements

Coding detail

Nomenclature

Unit

Table

Reporting country

Reference year

Reference period

Reporting airport

Next/previous airport

Arrival/departure

2-alpha

2-alpha

2-digit

2-digit

4-alpha

4-alpha

1-digit

Scheduled/non-scheduled services

1-digit

A1

(1) ICAO nationality letters

yy

(2) Statra 291 rev., April 1991

(3) ICAO

(3) ICAO

1 = arrival
2 = departure

1 = scheduled
2 = non-scheduled

Passenger services/all-freight and mail
services

1-digit

1 = passenger services
2 = all-freight and mail services

Airline information

Aircraft type

Passengers on board

Freight and mail on board

Flights

Passenger seats available

4-alpha

12-digit

12-digit

12-digit

12-digit

(4) To be defined

(5) ICAO + taxiflight code

Passenger

Tonne

Flight

Passenger seat

B. ON FLIGHT ORIGIN/DESTINATION DATABASE (AT LEAST QUARTERLY DATA)

The ‘on-flight origin and destination’ data refer to commercial air services only.

Data file record format

Elements

Coding detail

Nomenclature

Unit

Tabelle

Reporting country

Reference year

Reference period

Reporting airport

On-flight origin/destination airport

Arrival/departure

Scheduled/non-scheduled services

Passenger services/all-freight and mail
services

Airline information

Passengers carried

Freight
2-alpha

and mail

loaded/unloaded

2-alpha

2-alpha

2-digit

2-digit

4-alpha

4-alpha

1-digit

1-digit

1-digit

12-digit

12-digit

B1

(1) ICAO nationality letters

yy

(2) Statra 291 rev., April 1991

(3) ICAO

(3) ICAO

1 = arrival
2 = departure

1 = scheduled
2 = non-scheduled

1 = passenger services
2 = all-freight and mail services

(4) To be defined

Passenger

Tonne

12.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 275 E/37

C. AIRPORTS DATABASE (AT LEAST ANNUAL DATA)

The ‘airports data’ refer to commercial air services only, with the exception of ‘total aircraft movements’ which refers to
all aircraft movements.

Data file record format

Elements

Coding detail

Nomenclature

Unit

C1

(1) ICAO nationality letters

yy

(2) Statra 291 rev., April 1991

(3) ICAO

Table

Reporting country

Reference year

Reference period

Reporting airport

Total passengers carried

Total direct transit passengers

2-alpha

2-alpha

2-digit

2-digit

4-alpha

12-digit

12-digit

Total freight and mail loaded/unloaded

12-digit

Total aircraft movements on
commercial air services

Total aircraft movements

12-digit

12-digit

Passenger

Passenger

Tonne

Movement

Movement

1. Reporting country

CODES

The coding system to be used is derived from the ICAO index to nationality letters for location indicators.

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Greece

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

Spain

United Kingdom

Austria

Finland

Sweden

EB

EK

LF

ED

LG

EI

LI

EL

EH

LP

LE

EG

LO

EF

ES

C 275 E/38

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12.11.2002

2. Reference period

45

21

22

23

24

year

January to March (first quarter)

April to June (second quarter)

July to September (third quarter)

October to December (fourth quarter)

1 to 12

January to December (month)

3. Airports

Airports shall be coded according to the ICAO four-letter codes as listed in ICAO document 7910.

4. Airline information

Information related to the airline. The coding of this variable shall be decided in accordance with the procedure laid
down in Article 11(2).

5. Aircraft type

Aircraft types shall be coded according to ICAO aircraft type designators as listed in ICAO document 8643.

12.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 275 E/39

ANNEX II

DEFINITIONS

Community airport

Any area in a Member State which is subject to the provisions of the Treaty and open for commercial air transport
operations

Commercial air services

An air transport flight or series of flights performed by civil aircraft for remuneration to or from Community airports.
Services may be either scheduled or non-scheduled.

Scheduled services

Services possessing all the following characteristics:

1. they are performed by aircraft for the transport of passengers, freight and/or mail for remuneration,

in such a
manner that on each flight seats are available for individual purchase by members of the public (either directly from
the airline or from its authorised agents);

2. they are operated so as to serve traffic between the same two or more airports, either:

(a) according to a published timetable; or

(b) with flights so regular or frequent that they constitute a recognisably systematic series.

Non-scheduled services

Services for remuneration other than those reported under scheduled services; includes taxi flights

Passenger services

All flights carrying one or more revenue passengers, and any flights listed in timetables as providing passenger services

All-freight and mail services

Services relating to scheduled or non-scheduled services performed by aircraft carrying loads other than passengers, i.e.
freight and mail

Flights by State aircraft

Any flight in the context of military, customs, police, protocol or firefighting services

Passenger units

For the purpose of drawing up the list of Community airports as referred to in Article 3(2) and for the transitional
period referred to in Article 3(4), one passenger unit is equivalent to either one passenger or 90 kilograms of freight and
mail.

Airline

An air transport undertaking with a valid operating licence. Where airlines have joint-venture or other contractual
arrangements requiring two or more of them to assume separate responsibility for the offer and sale of air transport
products for a flight or combination of flights, the airline actually operating the flight shall be reported.

Flight stage

A flight stage is the operation of an aircraft from take-off to its next landing. A technical stop should not result in any
flight stage being classified differently. The classification of traffic, irrespective of its nature (passengers, freight and mail),
shall be identical to the classification of the flight stage flown by the aircraft.

Flights

The number of flights performed between each pair of airports on a flight stage

C 275 E/40

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

12.11.2002

Passengers on board

All passengers whose journey begins or terminates at the reporting airport, including connecting passengers and direct
transit passengers

Direct transit passengers

Passengers who continue their journey on a flight having the same flight number as the flight on which they arrived

Freight and mail on board

Any property carried on an aircraft other than stores and baggage; includes express services and diplomatic bags but not
passenger baggage

Passenger seats available

The total number of passenger seats available for sale between each pair of airports on a flight stage (excluding seats not
actually available for the carriage of passengers because of maximum gross weight limitation). Where information is not
available on exact aircraft seating configuration, estimated data may be provided.

On-flight origin/destination

Traffic on a given flight with the same flight number subdivided by airport pairs in accordance with point of
embarkation and point of disembarkation on that flight. (For passengers or freight where the airport of embarkation
if the airport of
is not known, the aircraft origin should be deemed to be the point of embarkation; similarly,
disembarkation is not known, the aircraft destination should be deemed to be the point of disembarkation.)

Passengers carried

Includes all passengers whose journey begins or terminates at the reporting airport; excludes direct transit passengers

Freight and mail loaded/unloaded

Any property loaded or unloaded on to or off an aircraft other than stores and baggage; includes express services and
diplomatic bags but not passenger baggage

Total aircraft movements

All take-offs and landings by non-military aircraft;
i.e. specialised commercial aviation
operations which are performed by aircraft chiefly engaged in agriculture, construction, photography and surveying,
as well as pilot training, business/executive flying and all other non-commercial flights

includes aerial work flights,

Total aircraft movements on commercial air services

All take-offs and landings performed by civil aircraft for remuneration.

12.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 275 E/41

STATEMENT OF THE COUNCIL’S REASONS

I. INTRODUCTION

On 18 September 1995, the Commission submitted its proposal for a regulation on statistical returns in
respect of carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air. Initial proceedings on this proposal were
suspended in view of the then still pending issue regarding Gibraltar airport. Following the under-
standing that was reached on this issue, work was resumed in 2002.

the consultation procedure on
The European Parliament delivered its opinion in the context of
29 February 1996 (1), and it confirmed this opinion on 16 September 1999 as its opinion in first
reading under the codecision procedure. The Economic and Social Committee delivered its opinion on
22 November 1995 (2).

Under the co-decision procedure (Article 251 EC), the Council, having regard to Parliament’s first
reading, adopted its Common Position on the draft regulation on 30 September 2002.

II. ANALYSIS OF THE COMMON POSITION

The Council approves of the objective of the proposed measure, which is to produce harmonised
statistics on the transport of passengers,
freight and mail by air comparable to those for other
modes of transport. Considering, inter alia, the strong growth in air traffic and the growing importance
of intermodality, such statistics have become increasingly important to ensure the proper functioning of
the European Union's transport system. The Member States will be responsible for the data collection
and methods used, and data should, where possible, be compatible with international data provided by
ICAO.

In addition to the ‘Gibraltar’ clauses, which have been incorporated (Article 1(2) and (3), and new recital
11), the main modifications as compared to the Commission proposal can be summarised as follows.

— The Council considered it appropriate not to include the ‘airline code’ in the transmission of data to
Eurostat. This term has been replaced with ‘airline information’, to collect information such as the
country of licensing of the airline or whether the airline is based in the EU. A declaration by the
Commission, which considers the information on ‘airline code’ as essential for decision making and
as a means to control information quality, will be entered in the Council minutes.

— Thresholds and transition periods for reporting, as provided in Article 3, have been modified to take
account of the fact that, for certain airports, statistics corresponding to those specified in Annex I
have not yet been collected, and that, as a consequence, the introduction of a new data collection
system may prove difficult. The deadline for complete transmission to Eurostat has been set to the
end of September 2006.

— Article 11 now provides that the Statistical Programme Committee will be subject to the procedures
for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission, set up by Council Decision
1999/468/EC, and that the Committee will be of a regulatory nature. The recitals have been
modified in consequence.

— The Council introduced Amendment 4 of the European Parliament concerning the definition of

‘passenger unit’ as ‘either one passenger or 90 kilograms of freight and mail’.

(1) OJ C 78, 18.3.1996, p. 28.
(2) OJ C 39, 12.2.1996, p. 25.