Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-03-24-Speech-2-456"
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"Madam President, honourable Members, I am very pleased that this House has voted unanimously, or virtually unanimously, in favour of the single European sky reform. I understand that only Mr Nattrass is against it, but I do not understand why: perhaps either I have not understood, or he has not read the draft single European sky reform properly. I do not understand what the Soviet Union has to do with it: everyone is free to say what he or she wants; I do not feel nostalgic about the Soviet Union.
I believe I can once again thank you and insist on the matter of air transport safety which, with this reform, will be even stronger, even though I am convinced that flying in European skies today is safe, but there are never any limits where safety is concerned. We must always do more, and therefore in all of these sectors in which it is possible to strengthen transport safety I will see through my commitment in full, and I will try to submit proposals to Parliament and the Council that really show EU citizens that the European institutions are there to help them.
To conclude, I am grateful to you once again. I am grateful to Mr Marinescu, but I wish to thank all the Members, all the coordinators, all the elected representatives who have taken the floor during this debate, because we could not have done without such a strong commitment from Parliament – which has shown on this occasion that it does not want to waste any time – to intervene in practice on issues that directly affect EU citizens, a commitment that it has made alongside the Commission. I am also grateful to the European Commission services, which have done so much, and I am pleased that during the speeches someone thanked the services, also, for their cooperation.
Together, we have also all been able to make the aeronautical industry realise that the institutions are capable – I repeat and I stress – of tackling a difficult crisis. I believe that the people of Europe, the world of enterprise do not expect across-the-board aid or mere legislative measures from us, but need to be shown that the institutions are capable of being there, are capable of supporting the citizens, entrepreneurs and all those who are committed to tackling this crisis. They need to feel that the institutions are capable of standing by them and of supporting them in overcoming together this difficult period for the European economy, which will survive – and I am deeply convinced of this – by implementing serious and precise rules that apply to everyone.
The lack of rules and existence of weak rules has given rise to the financial and economic crisis. We Europeans, who identify ourselves as part of a civilisation that is the fruit of Roman law and the Napoleonic code, which is based on rules and on respect for rules, are convinced that, thanks to these rules, we will be able to overcome the present difficulties and, above all, we will increasingly be able to have a system that is capable of being free but also of withstanding financial and economic difficulties.
I thank you once again for your great commitment. I am pleased to be able to take part in and share this important political moment with you.
However, with regard to the serious points contained and raised in the debate, I should like to point out that this is a practical response that we are providing to a crisis within the air transport sector. The data supplied today by IATA are worrying. According to statements made by the Director-General, in this financial year the sector stands to lose USD 4.7 billion, or almost EUR 3.5 billion, thus performing worse than was initially expected. Its profits are set to drop by 12%.
Thus faced with a crisis of this kind, we are however capable of introducing cost-cutting standards. In all, once applied and working at full capacity, the entire reform, including SESAR, should lead to a total saving of approximately EUR 40 billion, and then the next important figure – and I think that this is close to Mrs Lichtenberger’s heart – is also that of the reduction in pollution, which will be substantial.
With regard to the problem raised by Mr Zīle concerning reciprocity and overflight taxes to be imposed on all aeroplanes flying over Siberia, the issue was the subject of an agreement signed with Russia, but it has not yet been applied. We have raised the problem during several meetings with the competent transport ministers. It was also raised at the last summit the European Commission had in Moscow with Mr Putin and Mr Medvedev, and with the transport minister, with whom I met bilaterally. I do not see significant progress being made by Russia, but we shall persevere.
The principle of reciprocity, which could have been included in the text, did not receive the Council’s support. Most of the Member States opposed it, and so a debate was held at the last Council of Transport Ministers. Since there was no possibility of including it, it was not included in the legislative text.
However, with regard to the issues raised by Mr Romagnoli concerning the airports in the city of Rome, I can say that, as usual, checks are always performed by the European Commission. I can say that, as regards the application of the regulation safeguarding passengers with reduced mobility, Fiumicino and Ciampino airports can be held up as examples because they applied the Community regulation earlier than other airports, so much so that I even presented the new regulation at the end of July last year at Fiumicino airport.
This does not mean that we should rest on our laurels: I am thinking of the scandalous business of the 42 million items of luggage that are mishandled across the world, of the 1 million suitcases or bags that are lost. Faced with this data I have launched an inquiry by the Directorate-General for Energy and Transport. I have allowed one month for answers to be obtained from all the competent organisations, and if these answers confirm the data supplied and featured in the press, I shall set about proposing a reform of the existing regulation, which I consider to be slightly weak as regards passenger protection. I am thinking of perhaps entrusting some national bodies with the task of checking that the Community regulation is applied.
My attention is certainly focused on the ‘passenger rights’ issue, and so I wish to reassure you, in response to the question put by Mr Romagnoli, and to reassure Parliament as a whole, as well as to confirm my ongoing commitment to try to safeguard passenger rights even more. It is no coincidence that, following the regulation submitted and approved on air transport, regulations on maritime transport and bus transport are being discussed.
I would also say to Mr Evans that the criteria taken into consideration are the commercial value of airports and runway length, to which he referred. The definition to which he refers has been somewhat superseded by the criteria listed."@en1
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