Brussels, 05/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - At first reading on Tuesday 3 February, a large majority of the European Parliament adopted (524 votes for, 74 against and 6 abstentions) the own-initiative report by Luis Queiro (EPP-ED, Portugal) on the sustainable future of general and business air travel. With this vote, MEPs approved the communication on the subject published by the European Commission in January 2008 (see EUROPE 9574), which aims to have applied to small aircraft, with adjustments, the security and safety standards, environmental norms and air traffic control standards currently only applicable to commercial aviation (airliners and freight carriers). Parliament members said the question of noise pollution should be left to the local authorities but that it was necessary to continue, despite their limited impact, to reduce CO2 emissions from small aircraft by using clean fuels and promoting research, innovation and technological development. MEPs also invited the Commission and member states to facilitate access to airports for small aircraft - regional airports as well as the large airports - thanks in particular to better planning of airport space and to deployment of modern air traffic control technologies. In his report, Mr Queiro also calls on the Commission to include helicopters in this capacity strategy. (A.By./transl.jl)