15 Aircraft noise
| (24094)
15306/02
COM(02) 683
| Amended draft Directive on the establishment of a Community framework for noise classification of civil subsonic aircraft for the purposes of calculating noise charges
|
| Legal base | Article 80 EC; co-decision; QMV
|
| Department | Transport |
| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 12 July 2004
|
| Previous Committee Report | HC 63-vii (2002-03), para 6 (15 January 2003)
|
| To be discussed in Council | None planned
|
| Committee's assessment | Legally and politically important
|
| Committee's decision | Cleared
|
Background
15.1 In March 2002 we considered a draft Directive to introduce
a framework for noise classification for calculating noise charges
at airports, together with a related draft Directive on noise-related
operating restrictions at Community airports, and recommended
both for debate in European Standing Committee A. The Standing
Committee resolved to support "the Government position to
ensure that the proposed Directives allow the development of a
coherent and balanced approach to managing noise nuisances at
UK airports consistent with existing ICAO rules and standards".[39]
In January 2003 we considered an amended draft Directive, in
which the Commission accepted five and rejected seven amendments
adopted by the European Parliament in its first reading debate.
We noted that the Government continued to have reservations about
both the need for a Directive as proposed and the content of the
draft, even as amended, regarding it as unnecessarily inflexible
and complicated, but that it intended to continue seeking improvement.
We did not clear the revised proposal and asked to be kept informed
of progress in negotiations.
The Minister's letter
15.2 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of
Transport (Mr David Jamieson) now says that since January 2003
there has been no further progress on this matter and that he
understands the Commission is initiating the formal process for
withdrawing the proposal because no Member State has shown interest
in promoting it.
Conclusion
15.3 Given the probable demise of this proposal we now clear
the document. But if the matter were revived we would
expect the Minister to keep us informed of developments.
39 See (23034) 1501/01 and (23108) 5119/02: HC 152-xx
(2001-02), para 3 (6 March 2002) and Stg Co Deb, European Standing
Committee A, 18 March 2002, cols 1-22. Back
|
