WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3973/97 by Anneli HULTHÉN to the Commission. Illegal use of hormones in meat production
C 187/104 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 6. 98 (98/C 187/156) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3971/97 by Paul Lannoye (V) to the Commission (12 December 1997) Subject: Air safety and quality of life in urban and semi-urban environments At the moment, a number of European airports are used for the training of young pilots. Some of these airports are situated near large conurbations and have also been established in semi-urban areas that are heavily populated. Does the Commission intend to call on the Member States of the European Union to introduce measures that will end training flights in civil transport aircraft above these areas, particularly at weekends? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (23 February 1998) Pilot training is undertaken at many aerodromes, and at airports where pressures on capacity by commercial air transport operations permits. Training and testing programmes normally continue throughout the career of a professional air transport pilot and much of it is now undertaken on advanced similator technology which is less expensive than training on aircraft and also permits training in dealing with realistically simulated situations which would be too dangerous to rehearse in flight. The regulation of flying training procedures at and around airports is at present the exclusive responsibility of the Member States. Local authorities do sometimes restrict aircraft movements at predominantly training-oriented airfields, under their powers to regulate land use; but the prohibition of flight over certain areas is generally regulated at the technical level by national aviation authorities. Given the principle of subsidiarity, the Commission does not currently propose to intervene in this area. (98/C 187/157) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3973/97 by Anneli Hulthe·n (PSE) to the Commission (12 December 1997) Subject: Illegal use of hormones in meat production The media regularly report the illegal use of hormones in meat production in the EU. How does the Commission regard these reports, and, if they are true, do not such occurrences reduce the Communityís credibility in its dispute with the USA on hormones? Answer given by Mr. Fischler on behalf of the Commission (2 February 1998) The uncovering of a certain number of cases of illegal use of growth hormones, duly reported in the media, is the outcome of a serious attempt by the Member States to guarantee European consumers hormone-free meat and proof of that attemptís effectiveness. This cannot harm the Communityís credibility as regards the United States