92001E0674

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0674/01

by Johan Van Hecke (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 March 2001)

Subject: Guidelines for land use planning around EU airports

With reference to the Communication on Air Transport and Environment of 1 December 1999, in which the European Commission affirmed its intention to draw up guidelines for land use planning around EU airports and the Resolution on the Commission Communication on Air Transport and the Environment, adopted by the European Parliament on 7 September 2000, the Commission is asked:

Will an initiative be taken on drawing up guidelines for land use planning around EU airports?

What is the timetable?

When will the consultation process start?

Is it already known who will be involved in this consultation process?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(31 May 2001)

The Commission wishes to confirm that it considers the existence of appropriate guidelines for the use of land around airports as an important element for a balanced strategy towards mitigating the impact of aircraft noise. It therefore considers development of recommended practices as a potentially useful instrument for achieving progress in this field.

Any such initiative, however, will have to take account of the allocation of responsibilities and the lack of direct Community competence on land-use decisions. For this reason the Commission believes that the ongoing work on this issue will have to recognise the existing institutional balance as well as the variety of interests involved covering also non-aviation interests.

From this background the Commission is working on the creation of a group of experts involving representatives of national authorities competent for decisions on land-use around airports and representatives of airports and environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This group would have to undertake the necessary groundwork for recommended practices in this field. Information resulting from the implementation of other Community instruments, such as the proposed Directive relating to the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise(1), may provide useful input to this group.

The Commission hopes that the group will be operational before the summer break of 2001. Consultation of interested parties will start once the Terms-of-Reference for this group will have been agreed.

(1) OJ C 337 E, 28.11.2000.