EU air agency stuck on runway

Date: 03/02/2000

By Renée Cordes

TRANSPORT Commissioner Loyola de Palacio is considering scaling back plans for a new European agency to coordinate air safety across the continent, in the face of fierce opposition from some member states.

De Palacio argues that the new body is needed as part of a wider strategy to ensure uniform standards as Europe's skies become increasingly congested and travellers are subjected to ever-longer flight delays.

The Commissioner initially suggested setting up a quasi-governmental EU organisation comparable to the US Federal Aviation Administration which could take decisions binding on all 15 member states. This would replace the current voluntary rules policed by the Union's Joint Aviation Administration, which have often created bureaucratic nightmares for airline companies doing business across the EU.

Although Union governments say they are ready to work together to boost air safety, they have repeatedly criticised this approach, arguing that they should not be forced to relinquish authority to a supranational organisation.

In an attempt to address these concerns, De Palacio told MEPs last week that she was considering proposing a scaled-back European body, similar to the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products, which would only have advisory powers but could be set up relatively quickly.

"The idea is not to do away with member states' own safety systems," she insisted. "The idea is to bring them together."

De Palacio stressed that the Commission had not yet decided which approach to take, and was open to suggestions from member states.

The move comes two months after EU transport ministers called on civil and military aviation officials to examine the options for creating a single European airspace to combat increasing air traffic congestion and worsening delays.

Diplomats said that while they were open to De Palacio's latest proposal, they remained sceptical about the wisdom of her approach. "This latest idea of the Commissioner might be more feasible, but we will have to hear a great deal of explaining as to how it might work before making up our minds."

Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio is considering scaling back plans for a new European agency to coordinate air safety across the continent, in the face of fierce opposition from some Member States.