WRITTEN QUESTION E-0505/03 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Assessment of the situation regarding the Galileo project.
Date: 2003-02-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU research policy, project management, research budget, research expenditure (EU), research project, satellite navigation, scientific cooperation, telecommunications policy

9.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 242 E/139

(2003/C 242 E/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0504/03

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE)
and Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(21 February 2003)

Subject: Alcohol tests for airline pilots

The statements by the head of the Air Accident and Incident Investigation Department of the Spanish
Union of Airline Pilots (SEPLA) to the effect that the alcohol tests carried out on both national and foreign
(cid:1) but particularly foreign (cid:1) pilots are totally inadequate have understandably sparked considerable public
alarm.

Having become accustomed to the recent marked impact of breath tests for car drivers, many people have
discussed the need to step up alcohol tests for airline pilots.

Can the Commission say whether there is currently any specific Community legislation on alcohol tests for
airline pilots, and whether it considers that such tests should be increased for those responsible for piloting
planes in any part of the European Union’s airspace?

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2003)

There is no specific Community legislation on alcohol tests in the civil aviation sector.

However, there are extremely stringent rules regulating alcohol and drug consumption in this sector at
international level (ICAO rules (cid:1) International Civil Aviation Organisation) and at European level (JAR-
OPS of the JAA (cid:1) Joint Aviation Authorities).

The Commission has presented Parliament and the Council with a proposal amending Regulation 3922/
91 (1) which transposes the JAR-OPS provisions into Community law. The proposal is now before the
Council with a view to adoption of a common position.

The Commission is currently considering whether other legislative measures on alcohol levels in workers
in the passenger transport sector could provide added value at Community level.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91 of 16 December 1991 on the harmonisation of technical requirements and

administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation (cid:1) OJ L 373, 31.12.1991.

(2003/C 242 E/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0505/03

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Assessment of the situation regarding the Galileo project

(21 February 2003)

Following the enthusiastic reaction when the Galileo project was given the green light, there is now
concern across the European Union as to whether a genuinely European project such as Galileo will ever
see the light of day, and whether the European Union as a whole will be able to benefit from its numerous
advantages.

The animosity aroused by the programme’s adoption is well known and a degree of suspicion is
unavoidable, bearing in mind that tactical ploys are still continuing with the aim of preventing Galileo
from becoming a reality.

Can the Commission say whether it is in a position to carry out an assessment of the stage reached
regarding the implementation of the Galileo project, and where it sees the greatest difficulties affecting its
implementation?

C 242 E/140

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 2003)

As the Honourable Member says, the hopes engendered by the political agreement reached at
the
Transport Council of 26 March 2002 on setting up the Joint Undertaking and the green light given to the
launch of the development phase have not yet borne fruit because of problems within the European Space
Agency concerning the respective financial contributions of its members.

The situation is becoming critical as the Galileo frequencies negotiated within the International
Telecommunication Union will be lost if a satellite emitting a Galileo signal is not launched by the end
of 2005.

The Commission has therefore taken the steps necessary to get the Joint Undertaking up and running so
that it can start to carry out its tasks using the Community funds allocated to it.

This includes:

(cid:1) Preparing the setting-up of the Joint Undertaking which will supervise the Galileo project during the
development phase (until 2005). It has convened the Supervisory Board of the Joint Undertaking on
several occasions. The first payments from the Community budget for the years 2001 and 2002, i.e.
EUR 240 million of the EUR 550 million set aside for Galileo under the trans-European network
budget, have been committed;

(cid:1) Drawing up the concession arrangements which will result in the launch in 2003 of a call for a
concession-holder to be selected in 2004 to manage the programme during the system deployment
and commercial operation phases;

(cid:1) Setting up a Security Committee whose services are currently drawing up the measures needed to set
up the Security Board provided for in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 876/2002 (1), which will be
responsible for dealing with security matters relating to the Galileo system;

(cid:1) Making progress in reaching international agreements aimed at ensuring Galileo’s interoperability with
the American GPS and Russian Glonass systems as well as scientific, technological and industrial
cooperation with many third countries, including China, Canada, Australia and the countries of the
Mediterranean and Latin America.

The Commission hopes that the agreement concluded on 28 March between Italy and Germany will
become effective within the European Space Agency (ASE/ESA) as quickly as possible.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 876/2002 of 21 May 2002 setting up the Galileo Joint Undertaking (cid:1) OJ L 138,

28.5.2002.

(2003/C 242 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0509/03

by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission

(24 February 2003)

Subject: Water quality and the Spanish National Water Resources Plan

The basic aim of the Water Framework Directive is the rational and sustainable use of water, without
impairing its ecological and environmental quality. The intention is thus to avert any further deterioration,
improve the state of ecosystems, and guarantee a sufficient supply of clean water.

However, as far as Spanish waters are concerned, the waters of the Ebro are known to be of such poor
quality that they exceed the salinity limits laid down for guidance in both Spanish legislation and WHO
recommendations for pure waters. Instead of assigning absolute priority to water quality and, to that end,
supplies of low salinity, the Spanish National Water Resources Plan (PHN) is focused on diversion of water
from the river Ebro, with the result that future recipients, whether they use water for urban or agricultural
purposes, will be doomed to suffer a deterioration in their resources. In the light of the foregoing, will the
Commission advocate funding for a project such as the one described above, the consequences of which
would be diametrically opposed to those being sought by European legislation?