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Document 92002E000547
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0547/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Abolition of access fees at airports.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0547/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Abolition of access fees at airports.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0547/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Abolition of access fees at airports.
OJ C 65E, 13.3.2004, p. 1–1
(ES, DA, DE, EL, EN, FR, IT, NL, PT, FI, SV)
|
13.3.2004 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
CE 65/1 |
(2004/C 65 E/001)
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0547/02
by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission
(27 February 2002)
Subject: Abolition of access fees at airports
A large part of the aviation industry considers that paying airports further fees in addition to rent and other airport charges, as agents and self-handling users must do to obtain a concession to provide ground handling services, is unfair and excessive.
Lufthansa has succeeded in having the access fee abolished by judgment of a German court. Air France is reportedly moving in the same direction.
Can the Commission comment on the German court judgment?
Does it intend to take a legislative initiative in this respect?
Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission
(17 April 2002)
The Honourable Member seems to refer to the Order of the Oberlandesgericht (Higher Regional Court) of Frankfurt am Main which was issued in 2001 in the legal proceedings between Hannover-Langenhagen Airport and Lufthansa.
The issue between the two parties in this case is whether Hannover airport is entitled to require Lufthansa to pay an access fee in respect of its check-in services on a self-handling basis for its passengers, and as a supplier of such services for passengers of other airlines.
The Order does not contain a decision on the issue but it stays the proceedings and puts a number of questions before the Court of Justice of the European Communities for a preliminary ruling under Article 234 of the EC Treaty. These questions refer to the interpretation of Council Directive 96/67/EC of 15 October 1996 on access to the groundhandling market at Community airports (1), and essentially ask the Court of Justice to clarify whether and to what extent the access fee can be levied from self handlers and third party handlers which were already present at an airport before the entry into force of the Directive.
The case was registered by the Court of Justice on 24 September 2001 and the Commission submitted its observations on the case to the Court on 14 January 2002.
Regarding this particular issue no legislative initiative is envisaged, but the Commission will undertake a comprehensive review of the Directive in 2003 which may lead to proposals for modifications of parts of the Directive.