New airports needed to meet growing demand, say MEPs 

"The optimisation of existing capacities and traffic conditions is not enough to address the rise in demand", states an own-initiative report drafted by Danish Liberal MEP Anne Jensen and backed by the EP's Transport Committee on 11 September 2007. 

It adds that the shortage of capacity "will necessarily open a market for new major airports (up to 10 according to Eurocontrol study) and medium-sized airports (up to 15 according to Eurocontrol)". 

It requests the Commission to report to Parliament, before 2009, on a "Master plan for enhanced airport capacity in Europe", containing measures to "promote and coordinate any national and cross-border initiatives for building new airport capacities", and adding: "Even if the EU has no direct competence to decide on the building of new airport capacity, it can influence the shape of the regulatory environment that would properly accompany such an evolution." 

The report stresses that building new capacity can be environmentally friendly, as it would avert unnecessary emissions caused by en route or ramp congestion. But it adds that additional measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions and noise - such as including aviation in the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (see LinksDossier on aviation & ETS), taxing kerosene or differentiating airport charges according to environmental performance - would be necessary. 

Aside from building new infrastructure, the report highlights the urgency of improving existing capacity, notably by accelerating the introduction of market-based mechanisms for allocating airport slots and by improving ground-handling services. 

"It is extremely important to have effective ground-handling as it also affects the overall capacity of the airport", said Jensen, pointing out that "signs of future chaos are already apparent" - with several European airports facing "huge problems" in dealing with the increased traffic and the millions of pieces of luggage misplaced each year. 

Her report criticises the Commission's report on the current state of ground-handling services in the EU, claiming that it is based on insufficient data. It invites the Commission to consider raising the minimum number of service providers admitted at airports - currently two - while establishing certain minimum quality, safety and social standards.