Communication from the EFTA Surveillance Authority pursuant to Article 4 (1) (a) of the Act referred to in point 64a in Annex XIII to the EEA Agreement (Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes) Imposition of public service obligations on scheduled air services within Norway (96/C 28/04)

1. Pursuant to Article 4 (1) (a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, Norway has decided to impose public service obligations in respect of scheduled air services as of 1 August 1996, on the following routes:

- Fagernes-Oslo (Fornebu),

- Fagernes-Bergen.

2. The public service obligations are as follows:

- Minimum frequencies

- Fagernes-Oslo v.v.: two daily non-stop services Monday to Friday and one on Sundays throughout the year, except during a midsummer period of five weeks (July/August), when a minimum of one daily non-stop service Sunday through Friday applies.

- Fagernes-Bergen v.v.: one daily non-stop service five days a week (daily except Saturday and another day to be chosen by the carrier(s)), throughout the year.

- Timetables:

- During the business week (except in the said midsummer period), schedules must enable travellers from Fagernes to arrive in Oslo and Bergen before noon, and return in the afternoon or evening.

- At Oslo's Fornebu airport the following slots, currently being used on the Fagernes route, will be reserved for the service in accordance with Article 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 95/93 on common rules for the allocation of slots at Community airports:

- 9.10 and 9.40 hours local time Monday through Friday,

- 17.55 and 18.30 hours local time Sunday through Friday.

- Aircraft category

- Aircraft with minimum 15 seats shall be used on the routes.

- Fares

- The basic one way fares in 1996 may not exceed Nkr 650 on the route Fagernes-Oslo and Nkr 1 150 on the route Fagernes-Bergen. A minimum 15 % reduction in the basic fare shall be offered to travellers in transfer to or from other domestic flights. For each subsequent year, these fares shall be adjusted on 1 August within the limit of the consumer price index for the 12 month period ending 15 June the same year, as published by the Central Bureau of Statistics of Norway.

- Social discounts conforming to the usual practice shall be offered.

3. Access to the routes

The access to the Fagernes-Oslo and Fagernes-Bergen routes is open to all EEA air carriers without any restrictions, as Norway does not apply the provisions of Article 3 (2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 for these routes (1).

4. Further information may be obtained from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, PO Box 8010 Dep., N-0030 Oslo, telephone + 47 22 24 90 90, telefax + 47 22 24 95 72, telex 21439 sdep n.

(1) 'EEA air carrier` means a Community air carrier or an air carrier with a valid operating licence granted by an EFTA State, party to the EEA Agreement, in accordance with the Act referred to in point 66b in Annex XIII to the EEA Agreement (Council Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92 on licensing of air carriers).