Better Airport Packages (II)

Comunicación recibida del Parlamento Europeo en referencia al Paquete Aeroportuario, foro al que el Sindicato Independiente de Colectivos Aeronáuticos (SICA) asistió el pasado 15 de junio de 2012.

"Tras nuestro foro en Palma del pasado mes de junio, queremos seguir informándoles sobre la actuación legislativa del Parlamento Europeo con respecto al 'Paquete aeroportuario'. Por tanto, les facilitamos una información acerca de la última reunión de la comisión de transportes. Quedamos a su disposición para cualquier información complementaria. Reciban un saludo cordial, Parlamento Europeo".

EU Airports: high quality of ground-handling services must be guaranteed

Increasing efficiency and quality of ground-handling services while reducing waiting times for passengers need to stay centre-stage in a regulation discussed this week by the Transport and Tourism Committee. Rapporteur Artur Zasada (EPP, PL) tabled a list of minimum quality standards to be established by every airport, on local criteria (21-09-12).

The rapporteur supports the Commission's efforts to further liberalise the market in ground-handling services and to increase the minimum number of independent handlers from two to three. In major airports, there should be at least four independent service providers (for baggage handling, freight and mail handling, ramp handling and oil and fuel handling), suggested Mr Zasada. Operating licences, obtained under strict safety and security criteria, should enable companies to offer their services EU-wide.

Like most speakers, Zasada agreed with the Commission that ground-handling activities have to be clearly separated from other activities carried out by the airport to avoid unfair competition through cross-financing. However, he favours functional and operational separation rather than a legal separation of entities ("unbundling") as tabled by the Commission.

Quality standards

While some MEPs support the Commission's proposal of minimum quality standards on EU level, the rapporteur would leave it up to the airports to set their specific thresholds on a detailed list of common criteria, according to local needs and infrastructure, "because they know best how much time is needed to transport luggage, for instance."

During the debate, members of the ALDE-group called upon the Commission to swiftly complete the "Single European Skies" rather than imposing a number of independent ground-handlers in order to increase efficiency (and lower costs), just like S&D shadow-rapporteur Knut Fleckenstein (DE) who said that airports should be able to decide on their own how many service-providers they need. Other speakers mentioned that rules on outsourcing of services and self-handling need to be further detailed.

Social security and work conditions

The provisions related to training of staff, working conditions and social security requirements fall under the competence (rule 50) of the Social Affairs Committee (EMPL). The draft opinion by Thomas Mann (EPP, DE) adopted by EMPL on Tuesday foresees a minimum of 5 "additional airport specific" training days and sets out strict rules and monitoring obligations to preserve workers' rights when staff is transferred from one service provider to another in an airport. Social rules and working standards should apply equally to all service providers, including self-handling and outsourced services.

Noise: Commission should not overrule locally negotiated flight restrictions

MEPs almost unanimously shared rapporteur Jörg Leichtfried's (S&D, AT) view during the following debate on noise-related operating restrictions when he called for respecting the principle of the EU's subsidiarity. The Commission should not be entitled to "overrule decisions of local authorities", he said, "often reached after long-lasting mediation processes".

He stressed out, that noise impact on citizens' health must be duly assessed and pleaded for a more balanced assessment of cost and health aspects of noise problems. "We have to find a compromise: take care that European citizens can sleep at night, without breaching international aviation agreements."

On behalf of the Commission's right of scrutiny, the Commission's representative explained that "the Commission does not want to decide instead of local authorities, but we need more transparency of the decision process".

The "airport package" will be voted in TRAN on 6 November.

In the chair: Brian Simpson (S&D, UK)