WRITTEN QUESTION E-0132/04 by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Improved aviation safety through more effective channelling of information.
Date: 2004-01-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: air safety, civil aviation, common transport policy, consumer information, transport company, transport user

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/311

programme, the Commission financed various projects for Albania in 2001 (co-financing for two projects
totalling EUR 1,367 million) and in 2002 (co-financing of one project totalling EUR 0,429 million).
A project has also been selected for 2003 (requested co-financing of EUR 0,713 million).

Moreover, several recent important initiatives will help in dealing with similar situations.

For instance, the Council has recently approved a programme of measures aimed at combating illegal
immigration by sea in the Member States. The key to its success lies in strengthening cooperation with the
countries of origin or transit for illegal immigrants, in making sure that third countries receive technical
and organisational assistance to tighten surveillance of the coastline from which the illegal immigrants
depart, in carrying out sea patrols in cooperation with the appropriate authorities in the Member States
and third countries concerned by illegal immigration, etc.

The Irish Presidency and the Commission are working on a road map for this programme to ensure that
the measures it contains are implemented quickly.

The Commission also considers that the start of operational activities in the two coordination centres for
maritime borders will help to improve the management of migration flows from third countries and to
avoid tragedies like the one described by the Honourable Member.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in
from that

possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt
requirement, OJ L 81, 21.3.2001.

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000 on assistance for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, repealing Regulation
(EC) No 1628/96 and amending Regulations (EEC) No 3906/89 and (EEC) No 1360/90 and Decisions 97/256/EC
and 1999/311/EC, OJ L 306, 7.12.2000.

(2004/C 84 E/0358)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0132/04

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 January 2004)

Subject: Improved aviation safety through more effective channelling of information

The disastrous crash of an aircraft owned by the charter airline Flash has shown that the authorities, travel
agencies and passengers are not adequately informed about possible safety problems affecting individual
airlines. Access to information is difficult and in some cases the release of any information whatsoever is
prohibited by law. As a result, an airline which has been banned from flying in one country may be able
to carry on its activities in other countries. From the point of view of the safety of passengers, this is no
longer acceptable.

Does the Commission intend to incorporate into the directive it is now preparing on aviation safety
uniform rules, applicable to all the EU Member States, governing the procedures for checking aircraft and
airlines, for reporting on the outcome of such checks and for forwarding that information to all the EU
Member States? What time-frame has the Commission set itself for completing the directive on aviation
safety?

What measures does the Commission plan to take to ensure that both travel agencies and passengers can
obtain reliable, up-to-date information on possible safety risks and that passengers can thus take, at their
own discretion, decisions on matters which have a fundamental bearing on their own safety?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2004)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question No P-158/04 by
Mr Hortefeux (1).

(1) OJ C 78 E, 27.3.2004.