WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1229/98 by Marie-Paule KESTELIJN- SIERENS to the Commission. European standards on the restriction of night flights
22. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 402/97 Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (29 May 1998) 1. The Commission does not have information concerning the minimum distance from the runway legally imposed by Member States for the purpose of planning permission on runway extension. Recommendations in this area are made by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Such recommendations are not legally binding. The Commission does not have representative data concerning the distances between runways and built-up 2. areas, which are applied in the different Member States. 3. The Commission does not envisage the establishment of binding minimum standards in this area. However, it intends to issue a communication on Air Transport and the Environment by the end of the year. Environmental issues arising in and around airports will be among the matters dealt with in that document. (98/C 402/124) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1229/98 by Marie-Paule Kestelijn-Sierens (ELDR) to the Commission (29 April 1998) Subject: European standards on the restriction of night flights In its resolution (A-0183/97) (1), adopted on 10 June 1997, on the Commission Green Paper on future noise policy, the European Parliament calls for night flights to be reduced (para. 31). A ban on night flights is being introduced for major airports which have no need to fear competition, with the result that more and more night flights are being diverted to smaller airports which cannot afford to impose such a ban. Local residents in the area of smaller airports are thus faced with an additional burden of noise pollution. Does not the Commission consider it necessary, in the light of this situation which constitutes a distortion of competition, to harmonize national and regional legislation on the reduction of night flights? (1) OJ C 200, 30. 6. 1997, p. 28. Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (29 May 1998) Noise conditons differ significantly from one airport to another depending on the proximity of the airport to residential areas and the volume of traffic. To date, the Commission has, therefore, not envisaged a harmonisation of national and regional regulations on the limitation of night flights. The Commission will, however, continue to monitor closely market developments in this area with a view to re-assessing the need for action at Community level while, at the same time, ensuring that Community law is respected whenever noise bans are imposed. The Commission intends to issue a communication on Air Transport and the Environment by the end of the year. Environmental issues arising in and around airports will be among the matters dealt with in that document