WRITTEN QUESTION E-0111/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Environmental deterioration of the river Tea in Galicia.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/85 Options and limits for assessing the socio-economic impact of European RTD programmesí is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat. The recommendations of the experts group are currently being considered in the context of the monitoring and evaluation of the framework programme. (2000/C 330 E/093) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0110/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission Subject: Decentralisation of air communications (26 January 2000) As part of the plans announced by the Member of the Commission responsible for transport in relation to the Europeanisation of European air space, and in the light of the chaotic experience of recent years, will the Commission encourage the decentralisation of air communications through the development of alternative international airports such as that at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, thus avoiding the congestion caused by the irrational concentration of flights in Madrid, where the central government intends to focus yet more airport investment on the construction of new runways and even a new airport? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (8 March 2000) Existing Community legislation on intra-Community air transport implies that air carriers take the decisions on their network structure including frequency of flights and localisation of connecting points on the basis of their own commercial considerations taking into account factors such as airport charges, availability of slots and size of the markets to be served. In relation to flights to and from third country destinations, however, most of the bilateral air services agreements concluded individually by Member States include rules which restrict the capacity of regional airports to attract additional traffic. The Commission is of the opinion that direct public intervention in the commercial decisionmaking of air carriers on the location of operations should be limited to specific situations such as safeguarding public service operations or distribution of traffic within an airport system on the basis of specific rules established by Community legislation. More general interventions aimed at steering traffic from one airport to another are incompatible with the rules and the goals of air transport liberalisation. Notwithstanding these general principles the Commission is currently examining whether increasing concentration of air transport operations towards few hub airports could be eased by appropriate support measures for enhancing the role of regional airports (secondary hubs) in the overall airport system. It intends to present the outcome of this examination in 2001. In addition, the Commission will continue and strengthen its efforts to conclude air transport agreements for the Community as a whole with third countries that would improve the possibility of regional airports to attract additional traffic. (2000/C 330 E/094) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0111/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission Subject: Environmental deterioration of the river Tea in Galicia (26 January 2000) Ecological organisations have complained that the river Tea, which flows through south-western Galicia is suffering serious environmental damage due to work linked to land and joins the river Miæo, C 330 E/86 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 consolidation in the municipality of Covelo, which has not been subject to any kind of environmental assessment. The regional government of Galicia, which is responsible for the works, itself proposed the river Tea for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. Given that the consolidation works are being financed from the EAGGF, will the Commission carry out an investigation into those responsible for the ecological damage caused? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (7 March 2000) The site Río Teaí, of 88 hectares, has been proposed by Spain as a site of Community importance (SIC) to the NATURA 2000 network, under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1). In response to the Honourable Memberís Written Question and a petition to the committee of petitions of the Parliament (2), the Commission is conducting an investigation in order to assess whether the relevant Community environmental legislation has been complied with in this case. As further information is required, the Commission has sent a letter requesting the observations of the Spanish authorities on this issue. The Commission will not hesitate to take all the necessary steps, including recourse to the procedure set out in Article 226 (ex article 169) of the EC Treaty, to ensure full compliance with this legislation. (1) OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992. (2) 365/99. (2000/C 330 E/095) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0117/00 by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission (18 January 2000) Subject: Ban on night flights at Zaventem airport in Belgium On 31 December 1999 the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport submitted a draft ministerial decree, which was withdrawn on 12 January 2000 for wider consultations. The purpose of the draft decree was to set noise quotas by introducing a system of maximum noise levels. However, it also stipulated that, starting in the summer of 2003, commercial flights would be banned between 1 a. m. and 5 a. m. The draft decree is based inter alia on Article 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes (1), which states that áwhere serious congestion and/or environmental problems exist the Member State responsible may ( ) impose conditions on, limit or refuse the exercise of traffic rightsí. 1. What action has the Belgian Transport Minister taken to comply with the requirement laid down in Article 9(3) of the above Regulation that áat least three months before the entry into force of the actioní, he áinform the other Member States and the Commissioní? Given the lack of European legislation governing the prohibition of night flights, does the ban on 2. such flights at Zaventem airport only provided for in the draft decree not constitute a distortion of competition between Belgian and other European air carriers within the meaning of Article 9(2), fourth indent? (1) OJ L 240, 24. 8. 1992, p. 8