WRITTEN QUESTION E-2684/99 by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Air transport.
C 225 E/192 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 8. 8. 2000 Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (8 February 2000) The Commission feels that, should it prove necessary, it could recover the aid already paid under Article 14 of Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (1). For the moment, and for the same reasons set out in the answer to written question E-2681/99 (2) by the Honourable Member, the Commission considers that there are no grounds for exercising the power conferred by Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 659/1999. (1) OJ L 83, 27. 3. 1999. (2) See page 191. (2000/C 225 E/216) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2684/99 by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission (12 January 2000) Subject: Air transport In the view of the Commission, what conditions must regional inter-island flights fulfil for the purposes of the public service obligation declaration? In general, what are the Commissionís views on this type of declaration? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (1 February 2000) Under Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes (1), a Member State may impose a public service obligation in respect of scheduled air services to an airport serving a peripheral or development region in its territory or on a thin route to any regional airport in its territory, any such route being considered vital for the economic development of the region in which the airport is located. The services to the islands are particularly well suited to treatment under those provisions. Indeed, the islands frequently emerge as peripheral or development regions. In addition the traffic to them is often of low density. Finally, the routes in question are as a general rule considered to be vital to the economic development of the islands in question. Under those provisions France, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom have imposed public service obligations on several routes serving islands in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. (1) OJ L 240, 24. 12. 1992. (2000/C 225 E/217) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2687/99 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (12 January 2000) Subject: Composition and funding of the Commission Presidentís communications team The Commission President has called in a communications team to put across his political message. This approach ü not unintentionally ü displays many similarities with the British prime ministerís methods. One of Mr Prodiís advisers is apparently a former press secretary of Tony Blair