WRITTEN QUESTION P-2980/01

by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 October 2001)

Subject: Harmonisation of Regulation (EC) 925/1999

At the recent meeting of the ICAO in Montreal, Canada (25 September-5 October 2001), an agreement was reached on noise and pollution caused by civil aircraft.

What measures will the Commission take to bring Regulation (EC) 925/1999(1) into line with this agreement? Can the Commission also say whether this ICAO decision allays the public's concern over pollution and noise caused by aircraft?

(1) OJ L 115, 4.5.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 2001)

The Commission welcomes the consensus reached at the 33rd International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly on Resolution A 33/7 Consolidated statement of continuing ICAO policies and practices related to environmental protection. The conclusions of the Council of Transport ministers on 16 October 2001 underlined that the adoption of this Resolution opens up a prospect of replacing Council Regulation (EC) No 925/1999 of 29 April 1999 on the registration and operation within the Community of certain types of civil subsonic jet aeroplanes which have been modified and recertificated as meeting the standards of volume I, Pat II, chapter 3 of Annex 16 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, third edition (July 1993), in the near future by a new legislative instrument on noise management and operating restrictions for noisy aircraft.

The Commission will submit as soon as possible a legislative Proposal which, whilst being in line with Resolution A 33/7, will establish a framework for the introduction of operating restrictions at Community airports that takes full advantage of the flexibility offered by the said Resolution and offers sufficient and necessary guarantees of protection against an increase in noise nuisance from aircraft for people living around airports.