WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1736/97 by Dominique BAUDIS to the Commission. Joint European aircraft certification authority
C 21/88 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 1. 98 Council Directive 96/97/EC of 20 December 1996, amending Directive 86/378/EEC so as to bring it into conformity with Article 119 of the EC Treaty, as interpreted by the Court of Justice in its Barberí judgment and related subsequent judgments, stipulates that Member States shall take the measures necessary to comply with the said Directive by 1 July 1997. The Commission intends writing to all Member States in the very near future to ask them to supply details of the measures taken to implement the Directive. (1) OJ L 225, 12. 8. 1986. (2) OJ L 46, 17. 2. 1997. (3) Equality of treatment between men and women as regards retirement age in statutory schemes has not yet been introduced. Pursuant to Article 7(1)(a) of Directive 79/7/EEC (OJ L 6, 10. 1. 1979), Member States may continue to apply different retirement ages for men and women. (98/C 21/186) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1736/97 by Dominique Baudis (PPE) to the Commission (23 May 1997) Subject: Joint European aircraft certification authority What steps have been taken in response to the European Parliamentís request concerning a proposal to establish a European joint aviation authority for worldwide harmonization and implementation of aviation regulations, aircraft safety standards and certification (Doc A3-0426/92) (1)? (1) OJ C 72, 15. 3. 1993, p. 173. Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (3 July 1997) The Commission has, on several occasions, stressed the need for a European aviation safety authority, to establish common high safety requirements and to ensure their effective and uniform application throughout Europe, as well as their promotion world-wide. On 10 December 1996, the Commission adopted a recommendation for a Council decision to authorise the Commission pursuant to negotiating directives to negotiate, on behalf of the Community, with European third countries, the international convention which it considers necessary to create such an authority. Discussions on this basis continue in the Council and the Commission is hopeful that it will soon obtain the authorisation which would allow it to proceed. The Commission intention has been discussed in Parliamentís committee on transport and tourism during its debates on the Commissionís communication A Community aviation safety improvement strategy (1). (1) SEC(96) 1083 final. (98/C 21/187) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1737/97 by Bernard Stasi (PPE) to the Commission (23 May 1997) Subject: Management by the Community of natural resources in southern Africa At its meeting of 17-20 March 1997 in Brussels, the ACP-EU Joint Assembly unanimously adopted two resolutions concerning southern Africa, acknowledging the success of Community programmes for the management of natural resources, for example the Campfireí programme in Zimbabwe, and endorsing the strategies selected by the countries of southern Africa to develop their rural economies and protect resources in terms of biodiversity by making rural communities more aware of their responsibilities in this respect and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources