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Andrew

EUROPE QUESTIONS STANSTED EXPANSION PLANS

This article first appeared in the North West Essex Gazette of October 2003

Seen from Brussels, the row over the future of Stansted Airport takes an interesting shape. For one thing, Europe's aviation industry is chaotic, making long term predictions difficult. International terrorism threatens to scupper transatlantic tourism. Global negotiations for managing the aviation sector, including cartel busting and air traffic control, look unlikely to succeed. The Americans are largely to blame for blocking the so-called 'open skies' agreement. They also oppose the imposition of a pollution tax on aviation kerosene, whereas the European Union is actively considering it.

Within Europe the low cost carriers have destabilised the older, national flag bearers. Swiss Air and Sabena have already gone under. KLM and Air France are set to merge. British Airways and Lufthansa are scrabbling around for partners. Air France is suing Ryanair in the courts, with some success, alleging unfair competition practices. Europe's short-haul market is challenged increasingly by high-speed rail. The completion of the Eurostar service from St Pancras to Brussels and Paris in 2007 will heighten competition.

Never before has the British government approach to airport planning of 'predict and provide' looked more silly. No prediction is likely to be right. This is certainly not the time to be making long term decisions about future airport provision at Stansted. The assumption that there will be a never-ending expansion of air passengers is wrong. The desirability of using London as a global transit lounge is dubious. Other nearby airports, at Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt, are also wrestling with controversial expansion plans. And even if the demand is there, is South-East England best placed to meet it?

The EU has already imposed stricter restrictions on noise and air quality pollution than those wanted by successive British governments. Now its competition policy must begin to bear properly upon this congested field. BAA enjoys great advantages over its competitors as a result of its ownership of London's three main airports. Brussels cannot decide how many runways Stansted should have, but it does have the powers to affect the future growth and direction of our aviation industry. I shall make sure it uses them to the full.

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Andrew's work
in the European Parliament since 1999

Andrew is Vice-President of the European Parliament delegation to the Constitutional Convention on the Future of Europe.

Rights for EU citizens

Andrew drafted the Charter of Fundamental Rights which has strengthened the rights of all the citizens of the European Union.

Turkey

Andrew is working for improved links between the EU and Turkey, to encourage improvements in Turkey's human rights record and to enhance its democracy.

Andrew's campaigning in the East of England

Airport Expansion

Andrew has led calls for the Air Travel industry to be subjected to the same rigorous environmental criteria as other modes of transport