Brussels, 02/02/2015 (Agence Europe) -Urmas Paet MEP (ALDE, Estonia) would like a more robust EU response to the mysterious flights of aircraft with their transponders switched off in EU airspace.
On Thursday 29 January, the MEP expressed his concern about numerous dangerous incidents that had occurred over recent months. He said that these involved so-called “invisible Russian military planes” that had flown dangerously close to civilian aircraft. He also warned that “Immediate action must be taken before anything fatal happens”. The MEP said that the European Parliament could possibly produce an initiative to change the International Convention and other regulations in order to oblige military planes to fly with transponders switched on, especially in areas of heavy civil planes' traffic. The European Commission has asked the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to investigate a series of alleged incidents between passenger planes and unidentified aircrafts during recent months, which have taken place mostly over the sea at the border of the European Union (see EUROPE 11214). The first recommendations are expected in March. The European Commission may then possibly introduce measures to ensure that the safety of civilian aircraft is maintained. Paet is already convinced that “We need to step forward and initiate a change of international aviation rules”. (MD)