WRITTEN QUESTION E-0696/00 by Brigitte Langenhagen (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Streamlining procedures for drawing up Court of Auditors' reports.
6. 3. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 72 E/5 Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (5 May 2000) The duration of flight and rest periods of air crew is clearly an element of the safety of air transport and this is the reason why, as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, Member States have developed national regulatory schemes in this field. The Commission is aware of the fact that such national regulations are not harmonised in the Community and that this might affect the good functioning of the internal market, as well as lower the level of safety of the European air transport. For the reason, the Commission is exploring the possibility of proposing a common regulatory scheme. In developing this work, the Commission has indeed built on existing scientific knowledge as recom- mended by the Honourable Members. Therefore note has been taken of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Deutsches Institut für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) studies, as well as of many others carried out in this field over the years. The Commission cannot conclude that working longer than as indicated in the NASA or DLR studies would be necessarily unsafe. These studies do in fact not draw such conclusions, but develop guidelines and best practices for the safe rostering of air crew. It is the Commissionís intention to use the results of these studies for the construction of a reliable method of assessment of the fatigue implications of various possible flight and rest time schemes, so as to assist in the common regulatory process they envisage. A study contract will soon be awarded for the carrying out of this work. Working hours of air crew are not only an element of operational safety of air transport, referred to above, but also an element of occupational health and safety. Occupational health and safety requirements in respect of working time are covered for many sectors of the economy by Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993, to which the Honourable Members refer. The civil aviation sector, however, is excluded from the application field of this Directive and work is on going to provide workers in this sector with the necessary protection. It is in this context that on 22 March 2000, the social partners in the civil aviation sector concluded the European Agreement on the organisation of working time of mobile staff in civil aviation. Cockpit crew fall within the scope of that agreement which lays down minimum requirements in respect of the organisation of working time of crew members on board civil aircraft. In accordance with Article 139(2) (ex-article 118b) of the EC Treaty, and at the joint request of the signatory parties, it will be possible for the Commission to propose that the agreement be implemented by a Council directive. (2001/C 72 E/005) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0696/00 by Brigitte Langenhagen (PPE-DE) to the Commission (17 March 2000) Subject: Streamlining procedures for drawing up Court of Auditorsí reports The European Parliament attaches great importance to up-to-date reporting by the Court of Auditors. The impression has been created that current procedures from conclusion of the audit proceedings as such to the issuing of reports could be streamlined. That applies in particular to European Commission opinions on the Courtís sector letters and the Courtís contradictory draft report procedures. What options can the Commission envisage for streamlining these procedures? C 72 E/6 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 3. 2001 Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission (7 June 2000) The Commission, like Parliament, attaches great importance to the Court of Auditorsí reports. In fact, their findings have provided an important contribution to the Commissionís current reform programme. The Financial Regulation (1) provides for a period of ten weeks from emission of the draft report by the Court of auditors to the publication of the final annual or special report. During these ten weeks the replies of the audited institution are included and production of the eleven language versions takes place. The last activity takes just under half of the total time. This regulatory period can prove to be tight, especially when Member States or other third parties have to be consulted prior to answering the Court of auditorsí observations. The Commission is therefore currently exploring with the Court of Auditors ways in which procedures could be streamlined. So far, three main avenues have been identified: to clarify factual aspects as far as possible at the stage of the preparatory sector letters and implement harmonised and modernised rules for their transmission, to spread the workload of the annual and special reports as evenly as possible throughout the year, and to make full use of the advantages offered by electronic transmission. The Commission much appreciates the question and the interest of the Honourable Member and looks forward to receiving her valuable input during the forthcoming discussions on this subject in the budget control committee. (1) Council Regulation (EC, ECSC, Euratom) No 2673/1999 of 13 December 1999 amending the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977 applicable to the general budget of the Communities (OJ L 326, 18. 12. 1999). (2001/C 72 E/006) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0711/00 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Council (14 March 2000) Subject: Statements by the British Foreign Secretary on Cyprus The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, told the House of Commons a few days ago that freedom of movement between the Republic of Cyprus and the occupied northern sector of the island would be restored only if Turkey acceded to the European Union. This statement by Mr Cook met with the justifiable riposte from the Conservative MP Sir David Madel who recalled that the British Government had so far adopted a different position on this matter. He also asked to be informed whether the peaceful reunification of Cyprus now depended on the entry of Turkey into the European Union and whether the British Government was now saying that the northern part of Cyprus was part of Turkey. Will the Council say whether it shares the position of the British Foreign Secretary on this matter, bearing in mind that this would represent a departure from what had been agreed at Helsinki and from the consistent position of the EU that no third country is entitled to veto the accession of Cyprus? Will it also state clearly whether Mr Cook and the Council take the view that the acceptance of Turkey as a candidate country gives it this right? Will it also say whether it has asked Mr Cook to explain what he meant by this statement and suggested that he might retract it? If so, what was his response? Reply (26 September 2000) The Council is in no position to predict, let alone to determine when freedom of movement within the Republic of Cyprus will be restored. In the Councilís view this issue should be resolved in the context of a settlement negotiated on the basis of Resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council, notably through the proximity talks launched in December 1999 in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1250, which the EU continues to support strongly. As the European Council underlined at facilitate the accession of Cyprus. Helsinki, the EU takes the view that a political settlement will