91999E1784

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1784/99

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(11 October 1999)

Subject: Civil aviation safety

When measured by time spent travelling, the passenger death risk of flying in civil aviation in the EU is higher than the risk of dying as a car occupant. It has been estimated that 40 % of all fatal civil aviation crashes are deemed to be survivable and that over 80 % of crashes occur during landing or take-off phases.

Will the Commission ensure that the EU takes the steps required to reduce these risks by bring proposals forward as soon as possible on:

- a single European Safety Authority,

- a common flight-time limitations scheme which reflects scientific research on fatigue and represents best practice,

- a confidential human incident reporting scheme,

- an EU strategy for improving survivability?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(11 November 1999)

The Commission has noted the statistics provided by the Honourable Member and the conclusions that he draws as regards the risk arising from civil air travel.

Although many others consider aircraft to be one of the safest forms of transport the Commission recognises that the risk inherent in this mode requires particular monitoring and attention; This explains, in particular, why it has frequently taken action in this area including those instances referred to by the Honourable Member.

The Commission is in the process of drawing up a draft convention on the basis of the Directives, negotiations and the procedures adopted by the Council on 16 July 1998. It has done so in connection with setting up the European Air Safety Authority. That document is currently being discussed with Member State experts. The Commission is planning to start negotiating with the other European States involved as soon as that initial drafting stage has been completed.

The Commission has been working for three years on flight and rest times in conjunction with the major interested parties in order to reach a consensus. Since this has not borne fruit the Commission will now base itself on the work so far done in examining whether it is appropriate to put forward a proposal on its own initiative.

For more than five years the Commission has been developing tools and procedures enabling information on human incident reporting to be acquired and exchanged. On this basis the Commission will examine

the suitability of putting forward proposals for legislative action in this area in the light, in particular, of the financial and human resources available to it for implementation and follow-up purposes.

The Commission has already done a great deal of work on survivability as part of the research and development programmes and intends to continue to do so in order to make progress as regards aircraft design and certification requirements, together with their operating procedures.