WRITTEN QUESTION P-0158/04 by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Aviation safety.
Date: 2004-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accident prevention, air safety, common transport policy, transport accident, transport company

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/937

In accordance with the decisions of the Association Councils, which lay down the principles, conditions
and general arrangements for the participation of candidate countries in all Community programmes as
part of the pre-accession strategy, the specific arrangements for participation in each programme must be
the subject of a Memorandum of Understanding to be concluded between the Commission and the country
expressing an interest. Just as Community grants are subject to the adoption of the decision establishing
the programme, which alone provides the formal legal basis required by the new Financial Regulation for
Community grants, so the grants intended for candidate countries are subject to these Memoranda of
Understanding.

The same approach is followed for all candidate countries, i.e. Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. In accordance
with the provisions of the Accession Treaty, the countries acceding in 2004 participate in the Community
programmes as Member States.

Aware of the importance of the twinning movement for the three candidate countries, even before the
adoption of the programme at Community level, the Commission has already contacted the Missions of
these countries to give them the relevant information concerning the procedures to be followed.

(1) COM(2003) 276 final.

(2004/C 78 E/0991)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0158/04

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 January 2004)

Subject: Aviation safety

The airline disaster at Sharm el-Sheikh, where a Boeing 737 belonging to the company Flash Airlines
crashed into the Red Sea killing 148 people, underlines the urgent need to address the issue of aviation
safety.

in its vote at second reading on the safety of

On 9 October 2003,
third countries aircraft using
community airports, the European Parliament called for rapid implementation of the directive, whereas the
Council favoured a later entry into force. The crash of the Flash Airlines plane shows that we cannot and
must not wait any longer.

We must act as swiftly as possible, as we did a few months ago with the legislation concerning single-hull
tankers. A blacklist of ‘floating dustbins’ has now been drawn up. We must do the same for ‘flying
dustbins’ and ensure that the information relating to airline companies that fail to respect safety conditions
is made public.

In the light of the above, what measures will the European Commission take to prevent other disasters of
this type in the future?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 February 2004)

The proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the safety of third countries
aircraft using Community airports (1) should make it possible to overcome the deficiencies in the current
system of monitoring foreign airlines which were highlighted by this disaster, in particular by making
controls mandatory, by providing scope for Community action vis-à-vis undertakings or countries which
fail to comply with safety requirements and by publishing an annual report of inspections. Once this
Directive is applied by the Member States, the Commission will have detailed information on all the checks
carried out at Community airports. This information will allow the Commission to draw public attention
to undertakings which pose a high safety risk.

Directive 2003/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2003 on occurrence
reporting in civil aviation (2) provides for the improvement of accident prevention through the analysis of
events leading to aviation accidents.

C 78 E/938

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Once the results of the inquiry into this disaster are known, the Commission will assess the need, if any, to
amend or strengthen these measures or adopt new ones.

In the short term, the Commission will also examine ways of improving transparency in the field of air
transport, in particular with regard to informing the public on the safety of airlines.

(1) OJ C 103, 30.4.2002.
(2) OJ L 167, 4.7.2003.

(2004/C 78 E/0992)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0178/04

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 January 2004)

Subject: Funding from the Culture 2000 programme for the conservation of valuable cultural works stored

in Aghia Sofia

In its answer to my question No E-2962/03 (1), the Commission states that ‘The Community’s financial
assistance programme for Turkey does not allow to provide support for conserving and restoring religious
or cultural works, such as those stored in the Aghia Sofia.’

These valuable cultural works, principally in the Byzantime tradition, are being ruined, forgotten in the
vaults of the church, a fact which has aroused strong feelings among Turkish public opinion. The Culture
2000 programme has been extended by two years from 5 May 2003 and provides for cultural cooperation
with third countries not taking part in the programme, such as Turkey, by allowing funding for projects
taking place in a third country which focus on the common cultural heritage of the countries participating
in the project. In the light of these considerations, can the Commission confirm that if a Member State
submits such a project it will be eligible for funding? What is the deadline for submitting such proposals?
Will the Commission inform and encourage the Turkish authorities to take advantage of the opportunities
offered by the Culture 2000 programme to conserve and restore these valuable cultural works?

(1) See page 771.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(5 March 2004)

The Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the fact that the legislative
procedure relating to the extension of the Culture 2000 programme (1) is still under way. The Commission
cannot therefore provide any specific information at this point concerning the guidelines of the call for
proposals for projects to be carried out in 2005.

Under current procedures, however, in order to be eligible, projects funded under the action for ‘annual
cooperation projects in third countries’ must be carried out in a country which is not participating in the
programme and must involve the cooperation of at least four organisations (one project leader, two
co-organisers and one associated partner). These four organisations must include three cultural institutions
belonging to three countries participating in the programme and one cultural institution from the third
country concerned.

With regard to future calls for proposals, the publication dates will depend largely on the deadlines
imposed by the legislative procedure approving the programme’s extension and then by the deadlines for
approval of the calls for proposals by the Management Committee.

In accordance with the current regulations, the Commission will ensure that information on the call for
proposals is distributed widely, for example in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the
Culture 2000 website: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/culture/eac/index_en.html).

(1) COM(2004) 79 final.