WRITTEN QUESTION No. 462/98 by Mark WATTS to the Council. Aircraft safety in the year 2000
C 304/110 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 2. This initiative was previously supported by DG III, and has been subsidized since 1995. Does the Directorate-General which is now responsible also intend to continue to support and subsidize this private-sector initiative? 3. Would the Commission regard it as a good idea for the initiative to be extended to all the other Member States? Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (30 March 1998) The Commission is aware of the existence of the private organisation in question and of the subsidies it has 1. received. The Commission published an invitation for the submission of projects for the protection of consumer 2. interests in 1998. The Europa¤ische Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Lebensmittelkontrolle und des Verbraucherschutzesí is one of the associations that presented such a project. The selection process has not yet been concluded and bidders will be duly informed when the selection has been finalised. 3. The Commission approves of initiatives designed to ensure effective controls in the interest of food safety and consumer protection in Europe and welcomes the extension of this initiative to the other Member States. (98/C 304/165) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0462/98 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Council (27 February 1998) Subject: Aircraft safety in the year 2000 Pilots have threatened a world-wide boycott in the year 2000, fearing that the Millennium Bugí will disrupt the computer systems that keep planes in the air and prevent collisions. Given the extensive, costly and time-consuming computer modifications and replacements required, can the Council please outline measures proposed to coordinate and encourage efforts to respond to these fears and make sure our skies are safe? Answer (28 May 1998) As far as air safety is concerned, the Council has not received any proposal from the Commission regarding the so-called Millennium Bugí. However, according to information available, the Commission is at the moment carrying out a survey in order to understand the level of awareness, preparation and reaction of air transport stakeholders with regard to this subject matter. It should be recalled that the industry itself does not consider this to be an insurmountable problem. The operators of the GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites and their ground control stations are improving software that controls the system on the ground to correct its alleged inability to deal with the change to a new millennium. These improvements and corrections would be completed by the end of 1998. The private manufacturers have also taken the necessary remedial action and GPS receivers bought in the past two to three years will be ámillennium compliantí. The Honourable Member can rest assured that the Council attaches the utmost importance to the matters regarding air safety. In this regard, it is examining the possibility of establishing a European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA)