Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-04-09-Speech-2-075"
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"en.20020409.4.2-075"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would firstly also like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Schmitt, on his work in full cooperation with the Commission and the Council. This cooperation will allow us – we hope – to approve this text for the establishment of the Agency, foregoing the need to go to conciliation.
Finally, Parliament also wanted to send a clear political signal by means of Amendment No 16, whose objective is to limit the period during which both Community and National certification systems can function. The Commission considers that Parliament’s arguments are justified, and for this reason, we can accept this amendment.
Lastly, with regard to Amendment No 15, Recital D, the Commission, like the Council and the rapporteur, understands – and I would like to stress this issue – that access to these locations must be strictly necessary and not indiscriminate. I believe that with this in mind this issue can be settled.
Developments on this issue mean that we can expect the Regulation to be quickly approved and I would once again like to congratulate the rapporteur on his excellent work and Parliament as a whole for its approval, like the Council, foregoing the need to resort to conciliation.
The main objective of the common rules in the field of civil aviation and the establishment of a European Aviation Safety Agency is to maintain a uniformly high level of safety throughout the European Union, and to better protect the environment, as mentioned by the last speaker a few moments ago. Using this system, we will also be able to simplify the current procedures for aircraft certification, which will stimulate the internal market and the competitiveness of European products, as several speakers have pointed out.
The main instrument of the new system will be a common European certificate that will provide access to the whole European market and serve as a basis for recognition agreements. As you are well aware, as this point has been highlighted throughout this debate, European industry is hoping that this Agency will be able to issue a certificate for its next star product: the Airbus 380. The proposal therefore constitutes a considerable step forward, given the objectives it pursues. Furthermore, this is also a true innovation in the field of Community integration, if we take into account the fact that up until now the civil aviation sector has been principally characterised by State sovereignty and intergovernmental cooperation.
Ladies and gentlemen, you approved the Commission proposal at first reading with several amendments. Many of these amendments have been accepted by the Commission and integrated into the Council’s common position. At this second reading, the rapporteur, Mr Schmitt, wanted to insist on certain issues that had not been included in the common position. The contacts established between the three institutions, which all want the European Aviation Safety Agency to be successfully established as soon as possible, mean that we have now reached a solution which is acceptable to all. Therefore, I hope that today Parliament as a whole will be able to confirm its support for this text so that the approval of the Regulation can take place next June, with the establishment of the Agency from Summer 2003.
With regard to the amendments, I would like to point out that the new amendment, Amendment No 29, could compromise the fragile balance we have been able to achieve, as well as the expected timetable. Consequently, the Commission cannot accept this amendment.
I would like to point out that Amendments Nos 1 and 4 have caused us many problems. These amendments are proof of the European Parliament’s will to rapidly extend the Agency’s areas of responsibility to all sectors relating to safety, particularly with regard to licences for personnel and air operations. With regard to the fundamental issue at hand, the Commission is of the same opinion as Parliament, but, on behalf of the College of Commissioners, I would like to say for the record that the Commission has several reservations with regard to any wording that could interfere with its right of initiative, as set out in the Treaty. Therefore, the acceptance of Amendment Nos 1 and 4 can in no event be taken to imply any restriction of this right of initiative, inasmuch as these measures were already set out in our own work programme. In the specific context of this issue, the Commission therefore accepts the amendments and confirms its will to put forward these proposals, whilst underlining the fact that this was already set out in our own timetable and pointing out that in no way can this be considered as any kind of restriction of our right of initiative, as set out in the Treaties.
The Commission can fully support the other amendments. Many of these improve the text of the common position or clarify its content. The Commission can also unreservedly support those amendments which increase the powers of the executive director and the provisions that aim to facilitate his or her appointment.
We can accept the amendments that aim to strengthen the Agency’s autonomy, specifically Amendments Nos 9 and 11, and it seems completely reasonable that the Commission, not having the necessary technical knowledge, should not change the content of technical standards without the prior cooperation of the Agency. These amendments have been written in such a way that Commission’s right of initiative is preserved, for which I would like to thank Parliament.
Parliament, exercising its role as the budgetary authority, wanted to introduce an amendment, No 2, in which it calls for the establishment of common rules with regard to financial or other contributions that States often contribute in order that agencies may be set up in their own territories. The Commission does not object to this."@en1
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