20.8.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 233/25 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 22 July 1998 on a procedure relating to the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 (Case VII/AMA/10/97 — Access to Karlstad airport) (notified under document number C(1998) 2009) (Only the Swedish text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (98/523/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes ('), as amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden and in partic- ular Article 8(3) thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee established under Article 11 of that Regulation, Whereas: BACKGROUND (1)  This Decision is concerned with certain noise- related restrictions affecting air carriers’ access to the new Karlstad airport in Sweden. )] By letter of 23 January 1997, Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) lodged a complaint with the Commission against the decision of the Swedish () OJ L 240, 24. 8. 1992, p. 8. () ) authorities of 15 November 1994 to prohibit the operation of certain aircraft at the new Karlstad airport, alleging that the decision is contrary to Community law and, in particular, Council Directive 92/14/EEC of 2 March 1992 on the limitation of the operation of aeroplanes covered by Part II, Chapter 2, Volume 1 of Annex 16 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, second edition (1988) (%), as amended by Directive 98/20/ EC (%). Such aeroplanes are hereinafter referred to as ‘Chapter 2 aircraft’. SAS argues that the Swedish decision negatively affects its operations on the routes Karlstad-Stockholm and Karlstad-Copen- hagen, and requests the Commission to initiate proceedings against Sweden with a view to ending the alleged infringement of Community law. The new Karlstad airport was officially opened for traffic on 7 September 1997. It is located near Mellerudstorp in a sparcely populated area some 12 kilometres north-east of the city centre. At the same time, the old Karlstad airport, which was located three kilometres south of the city centre, was closed down, notably for safety and environ- mental reasons. OJ L 76, 23. 3. 1992, p. 21. JL 107, 7. 4. 1998, p. 4.