WRITTEN QUESTION E-2082/03 by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council. Violations of Greek air space by Turkish aircraft and security of the inhabitants of the Aegean.
Date: 2003-06-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, air safety, air space, bilateral relations, military aircraft

C 65 E/110

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

freedom of movement for workers which is enshrined in the European Treaties. Many European mariners,
particularly those from countries with small fleets, have no alternative but to switch to vessels flying flags
of convenience, with corresponding loss of prestige and poorer working conditions and pay.

The Commission:

1.

Is it aware of the precarious competitive situation with regard to European mariners?

2. What does it intend to do to eliminate such distortions of competition in Europe?

3. Would the introduction of an EU flag and/or a European register be a suitable measure to improve

matters in this connection? What are the pros and cons?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(29 August 2003)

The Commission would like to give the following information:

(cid:1) in relation to the question on free movement of workers, the Commission would refer the Honourable
Member to its reply to Written Question E-1740/02 of Mr Pronk, Mrs Martens, Mrs Peijs and
Mr Maat (1). As the two preliminary questions (2), in which the nationality condition for captains and
first officers is concerned, are still pending before the Court of Justice, the Commission continues to
refrain from making any form of prediction as to their possible outcome;

(cid:1) the Commission considers that the introduction of a Community register would,

inter alia, have
contributed to the free movement of seafarers within the Community. However, its related proposal
on the creation of the ‘Euros’ register for sea-going merchant vessels (3) was not accepted by the
Member States and was subsequently abandoned. Since then,
the Commission proposed other
measures aimed at fostering the competitiveness of the European shipping industry, in particular the
Community guidelines on State aid to maritime transport, which are in the process of being revised.

(1) OJ C 301 E, 5.12.2002.
(2) Case C-405/01 Colegio de Oficiales de la Marina Mercante Española v. Administración del Estado and Case C-47/02
Albert Anker v. Federal Republic of Germany; the Advocate General gave her conclusions on both cases on the
12.6.2003.

(3) COM(89) 266, OJ C 263, 16.10.1989 (cid:1) COM(91) 483, OJ C 19, 25.1.1992.

(2004/C 65 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2082/03

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council

(24 June 2003)

Subject: Violations of Greek air space by Turkish aircraft and security of the inhabitants of the Aegean

During a recent visit to the border islands of Samos and Ikaria I experienced the deep anxiety felt by the
inhabitants at the constant, provocative violations of Aegean air space by Turkish warplanes and the
impact which they have on the lives and security of the local people as well as their livelihood in the
tourist industry.

The alarm was compounded, in particular, following the recent incident in which two Turkish F16 fighters
harassed an Olympic Airways flight bound for Istanbul from Athens.

What view does the Council take of Turkey’s conduct in this respect and what measures will it take
forthwith to put an end to such violations by Turkey?

What measures will
through the Aegean and to restore normality and peace to the wider region?

it take to address the insecurity felt by European citizens living in or travelling

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Reply

(17 November 2003)

The Council is aware of the incidents mentioned by the Honourable Member. It is also aware of
1.
complaints about an increasing number of violations of Greek airspace by Turkish military aircraft, and of
the sensitive nature of this question in Greece. Such incidents do unfortunately contrast with the general
improvement in neighbourly relations between Greece and Turkey since 1999.

2.
The Council considers that Turkey, as a candidate State, must (cid:1) pursuant to the principle of peaceful
settlement of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter (cid:1) make every effort to prevent tension, in the
spirit of point 4 of the Helsinki conclusions. This is, moreover, made a specific priority in the revised
In line with the Helsinki conclusions, the
version of the Turkey Accession Partnership Agreement.
European Council will have to review the situation in this respect,
including its repercussions on the
accession process, before the end of 2004.

In the framework of political dialogue, the Council regularly encourages Turkey to continue making
3.
efforts to prevent tensions (cid:1) for instance through confidence-building measures in sensitive areas (cid:1) and
to work together with its neighbour towards reaching an understanding on issues where they have
diverging views and interpretations of relevant international law.

(2004/C 65 E/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2097/03

by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(25 June 2003)

Subject: Kingdom of Belgium (cid:1) federated bodies (cid:1) Region of Wallonia (cid:1) debudgetisation practices

In a press release of 3 April 2003 the Government of Wallonia announced that it had adopted a new
financial plan for the development of the Wallonian airports. The Government of Wallonia thus agreed to
the twofold financial plan presented at the board meeting of 20 March 2003 of the Société wallonne des
aéroports (Sowaer, s.a.), a public-interest company responsible for the development of Wallonian airport
infrastructure and the implementation and financing of environmental accompanying measures for the
benefit of those living near the airports (purchase of buildings and sound-proofing). The twofold financial
plan shows that the overall cost of Wallonia’s airport policy will amount to EUR 754,7 million by 2024
and that this sum will not be financed from the Region of Wallonia’s budget, but through loans, most of
which will be repaid as of 2009 or 2015. This is evidence of a worrying debudgetisation phenomenon
affecting more than EUR 750 million.

1.

Is the Commission aware of this debudgetisation practice?

2.

Is the practice not likely to distort the method of calculating the Belgian national debt?

Is the practice in keeping with the letter and the spirit of the stability pact enshrined in the European

3.
Council resolution of 17 June 1997 (1), Regulation (EC) 1466/97 (2) and Regulation (EC) 1467/97? (3)

Does it not call into question the Council opinion of 18 February 2003 on the updated stability

4.
programme for Belgium of 2003-2005?

(1) OJ C 236, 2.8.1997, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 6.