WRITTEN QUESTION E-2250/99 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Flight delays.
C 225 E/78 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 8. 8. 2000 Does the Commission take steps to ensure that the rule of additionality (in whatever is its proper and 2. relevant sense) is observed by Member States. If so, what is the mechanism by which the Commission does this? If not, why not? If a local or regional authority, or an elected representative in such an authority, or an MEP, has 3. reasonable grounds for suspicion that funds are being misappropriated in the sense of being allocated without due regard to additionality, what does the Commission consider to be the appropriate avenue of complaint? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (20 December 1999) 1. It is correct that Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/93 of 20 July 1993, amending Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88, as regards co- ordination of the activities of the different structural funds between themselves and with the operations of the European investment bank and the other existing financial instruments (1) provides that spending on the structural funds may not replace structural or comparable expenditure undertaken by the Member State. However, it also provides that additionality is established at the level of the whole of the territory eligible under an objective, rather than at the local or regional level. On condition therefore that the Member State maintains its overall public structural or comparable expenditure at least at the same level as in the previous programming period, additionality is respected. Similar provisions will apply during the next programming period for objective 1 while additionality for objectives 2 and 3 together will be assessed on the basis of national spending on active labour market policy (Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the structural funds (2)). The level of matching funds at the local level is a separate issue from additionality and depends on the structure of the programme or measure in question. The Community support framework or single programming document governing expenditure under 2. the structural funds is not adopted unless it contains provisions to ensure compliance ex ante with the principle of additionality. Subsequently, during the course of the programming period, the Member State provides the Commission with the financial information required to allow the verification of additionality on an ongoing basis. The regulations do not provide for any specific penalties in regard to non-compliance with the ongoing verification of additionality. As it is not possible to draw any conclusion at the local or regional level regarding compliance with 3. the principle of additionality, the question of reporting non-compliance at that level does not arise. (1) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993. (2) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999. (2000/C 225 E/079) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2250/99 by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission (1 December 1999) Subject: Flight delays It is becoming alarmingly and even scandalously common for flight departures from airports all over the European Union to be delayed. Given that all these delays are causing considerable economic prejudice and personal inconvenience to travellers and their families, their business associates, etc. , will the Commission state what the real causes are, and, if appropriate, what measures it intends to adopt to ensure that flight schedules are adhered to? 8. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 225 E/79 Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (24 January 2000) The Commission agrees that the situation of air traffic delays and airspace congestion has reached levels which are no longer acceptable and requires urgent and drastic action. This is why the Commission adopted, on 1st December 1999, a communication (1) on the creation of the European single sky which analyses the causes for that situation and recommends a number of actions to be undertaken both at Member States and at Community level. The questions of the Honourable Member are answered in this document. In addition, the Commission envisages to examine more in depth the impact of delays on the travelling public on the occasion of a wide consultation to be undertaken soon on the protection of air passengers. (1) COM(1999) 614 final. (2000/C 225 E/080) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2252/99 by Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (1 December 1999) Subject: Environmental deterioration in Arce (PiØlagos-Cantabria, Spain) The lack of any controls on the operations carried out at the Laherran and Hormisa quarries in Arce (Cantabria) is causing the local population grave concern. Activity at both quarries, currently consisting of sand and cement extraction, stone crushing, an agglomerate plant and a concrete plant has increased considerably. All of this means that there has been an increase in dust, noise and vibration from explosions, and, on top of this, the constant flow of heavy vehicles through the village, at great risk to the local population, given the absence of any adequate traffic infrastructure. The situation has lead to over a hundred protests being made to the local authorities and the government of the autonomous region, but local peopleís requests to the appropriate authorities for information about the local authority licences of the quarries have failed to produce a solution to the problem. Given that there is a scheme to extend the installations at one of the quarries, and a plan to build a dry mortar factory, I would ask: 1. Is the Commission aware of this situation? 2. Does the Commission not believe that Community environmental legislation is being violated, since the work being done by these companies comes under the heading of irritating, unhealthy, harmful and dangerous industrial activity taking place a few metres from private housing? 3. Will the Commission approach the relevant authorities with a view to ensuring that the following directives are complied with: (a) 85/337 /EEC (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment; (b) 96/61/ EEC (2) on integrated pollution prevention and control;