WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3521/98 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Denied-boarding compensation system
21. 7. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 207/81 Reply (9 March 1999) During discussions on Agenda 2000 the Council has defined both the model for European agriculture and the attitude to be taken in future WTO negotiations in order to protect that model. In particular, the Council has taken the view that in the WTO the European Union should seek to achieve the twofold aim of, firstly, maintaining Europe’s ability to develop an agriculture in keeping with its characteristics and with very high quality and safety standards and, secondly, placing agricultural trading and market liberalization in a setting which brings international recognition of the constraints imposed on European farmers and agricultural products. The food, veterinary and plant-health control and inspection measures referred to by the Honourable Member are covered by this general approach. The Council will of course base itself on the above guidelines at the appropriate time during the preparation of future WTO negotiations. (1999/C 207/108) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3521/98 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (25 November 1998) Subject: Denied-boarding compensation system With reference to the proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) 295/91 establishing common rules for a denied- boarding compensation system in scheduled air transport (COM(98) 0041 final 4 98/022 SYN) (1), Article 2(a) should be redrafted so as to specify that passengers must present themselves for check-in at least 30 minutes before the departure time or at an earlier time where this has been notified to passengers in advance in writing by the airline or its agent. ‘Present themselves for check-in’ should be understood as meaning joining the queue for check-in. Can the Commission put forward proposals for compensation where flights are cancelled for commercial reasons? (1) OJ C 120, 18. 4. 1998, p. 18. Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (3 February 1999) In its amended proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EEC) 295/91 establishing common rules for a Denied-Boarding Compensation system in air transport (1), the Commission has already suggested amendment of the definition in article 2(a) concerning check-in arrangements. In the view of the Commission, passengers should present themselves for check-in at the time indicated to them in advance in writing and, if no time is indicated, not later than 30 minutes before the published departure time. This would allow for the flexibility of having both shorter and longer check-in time than the regular 30 minutes. The Commission also proposes that the airline shall be responsible for identifying those passengers still in the queue at the time of closing the check-in for a flight. In the same amended proposal the Commission has also accepted the proposition made by the Parliament to include ‘flights cancelled for commercial reasons’ in article 2(d). (1) OJ C 351, 18. 11. 1998