Brussels, 06/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - The plenary session of the European Parliament next week will be crucial for the future of the airport package that has been proposed by the European Commission to resolve European airports' problems of capacity and competitiveness. If the MEPS reject the section on ground handling services, European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas could well withdraw the whole of the legislative proposal. Indeed, the Council has also diluted two other sections linked to noise and the allocation of take-off and landing slots.
Decisive vote. The revision of Directive 96/97/EC on ground handling services provides for the liberalisation most pushed for by the sector with the introduction of a minimum third competitive supplier in airports that handle more than 5 million passengers per year (currently only Germany, Austria, Portugal and Belgium stick to the minimum two). The vote on this point, with the two other sections, will be decisive for the future of the whole package. The Greens have made up their minds to vote for a rejection of this chapter, while the S&D and the EPP are still divided. Demonstrations will be organised next week by the European transport workers federation to put pressure on the European Parliament.
Withdrawal in sight. Three options are open to the European Parliament - either amending the legislative revision, or re-examining it in parliamentary committee, or rejecting it (as was the case by the TRAN committee). If next Wednesday's votes are for rejection, Kallas will be ready to envisage all options - event the withdrawal of his proposed legislative package, which would require the approval of the college of commissioners. It is true that if ground handling services are rejected, the sections on the allocation of air slots and on noise could still continue the legislative process, says Helen Kearns, the spokesperson for Kallas. However, the package comprises three pillars which “hold together”, she stresses. If we weaken the slots, are modest on noise and we take away the ground handling services, she says, we fear that the package might be weakened. The question needs to be asked, Kearns continues, whether it's worth the legislation at the end of the day.
24 million more passengers required. The Council has also largely undone the other chapters of the airport package. On air slots, it has only kept the secondary market for slots, while adding a safeguard clause, for example. Nonetheless, the European Commission wanted to revise these three pieces of European legislation so as to improve the quality of airports and their capacity to be able to handle 24 million additional passengers per year after 2025. Five European airports have already reached saturation point - there could be 19 in this position in 2030. Furthermore, is Europe to preserve its level of competitiveness in the face of Asia Pacific which has an ever greater influence on air traffic? (MD/transl.fl)