WRITTEN QUESTION E-0623/04 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Schedules of airlines from third countries.
Date: 2004-03-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, United Kingdom, air safety, civil aviation, transport authorisation

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/823

(cid:1) must support for ‘Motorways of the Sea’ projects always be provided by way of a tendering procedure

in the Member State concerned;

(cid:1) will discounts on port dues, stevedoring, pilot services etc. in specific ports in connection with the
opening of new routes be taken into account within the ceiling for state aid for the opening of such
new routes?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

The Commission proposal of 1 October 2003 on the revision of the Community Guidelines on the
development of the TEN-T network (1), proposes amongst other priority projects the ‘Motorways of the
Sea’. This concept was already announced by the White Paper ‘European transport policy for 2010: time to
decide’ (2) which was presented by the Commission in 2001. The Commission is of the opinion, that this
concept has to be applied in a way adapted to the different areas. Whilst Community financial support to
the construction of infrastructures as part of the Motorways of the Sea projects is sometimes enough for
the successful implementation, sometimes financial incentives beyond the purely infrastructure part may be
necessary. This is why the Commission has proposed the possibility of EU co-financing of start-up aid for
shipping companies of the motorways of the sea limited to two years, based upon a thorough tendering
procedure. Such a support would be applied in accordance with the Community guidelines on state aids
with maritime transport published in the Official Journal of the European Union (3) on the 17 January
2004 which allow start-up aids for a maximum period of three years.

This proposal is now under discussion in the Council and the Parliament.

(1) COM(2003) 564 final.
(2) COM(2001) 370 final.
(3) OJ C 13, 17.1.2004.

(2004/C 84 E/0918)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0623/04

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Schedules of airlines from third countries

(1 March 2004)

Following the recent tragic crash of the Flash Airlines plane from Sharm el-Sheik in Egypt, the United
Kingdom published a list of third countries airlines which are banned from using its airspace since they fail
to comply with the international safety rules laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
One of the airlines blacklisted in this way is Albanian Airlines, which operates a flight three or four times
a week between Athens and Tirana.

Will the Commission say:

1. Why has the United Kingdom included Albanian Airlines on its blacklist? Have the services of a
Member State to which this airline flies verified the reliability of this airline? If so, what are the
findings? Have the competent authorities carried out a runway inspection, as provided for under the
Chicago Convention?

2. Are such inspections covered by the recent agreement between the European Parliament and the
Council on a system of controls and verification of the safety of aircraft of third countries airlines
using Community airports?

C 84 E/824

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

At present there are no provisions obliging the Member States to give the Commission the information
requested by the Honourable Member. The Commission is not therefore in possession of the information
and would invite the Honourable Member to contact
the competent national authorities directly.
In contrast, as the Honourable Member will be able to confirm, the Directive mentioned below will give
the Commission access to such information.

The Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council due to be adopted in April 2004 on third
countries’ aircraft calling at Community airports (1) provides scope for national authorities to check the
conformity of third countries’ aircraft with international safety standards. It also provides for an exchange
of
information on this subject between the Member States and the Commission, the possibility of
grounding dangerous aircraft and a procedure whereby a decision by one Member State to ban an airline
from using its airspace can be extended throughout the Community.

(1) Not yet published.

(2004/C 84 E/0919)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0629/04

by Willi Piecyk (PSE), Gerhard Schmid (PSE)
and Johannes Swoboda (PSE) to the Commission

(3 March 2004)

Subject: Trans-European Networks (cid:1) development of the Danube

As part of the revision of the Trans-European Networks, the Commission has proposed that development
of the Danube should be a priority project. However, the Commission’s aims in terms of the extent of
development or the depths to be reached are not clear.

In the current debate and in various documents, reference is constantly being made to the so-called ‘Van
Miert Group’ recommendations, which firstly identify a number of bottlenecks in the Danube and then
propose that improvements be made to these bottlenecks to achieve a draught of 2,5 metres.

A draught of 2,5 metres is not specifically mentioned or called for in these documents, however, and this
allows the Member States broad scope for interpretation and creates uncertainty about the extent of
development envisaged for the Danube.

Environmentally and economically speaking, the decision on this issue is of vital importance. The more the
depth increases, the greater the impact on the Danube’s ecosystem and the higher the costs.

1. With this in mind, is the possible co-financing of the Danube projects based on achieving a specific
depth?

2.

If so, what would that be?

3.
If not, does the Commission believe that the aim of generally improving the stretches defined as
bottlenecks is sufficient to be able to apply for and receive financial support as part of the Trans-European
Networks?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

The Rhine-Meuse-Main-Danube corridor is a major freight route connecting the North Sea with the Black
Sea. Several sections of this waterway pose navigability problems since the draught is less than 2,8 metres
at some times of year. The ‘Van Miert Group’ had recommended a minimum draught of 2,5 metres along
the entire length of the waterway to give access to vessels of up to 3 000 tonnes.