Pedini, M.

Archive of European Integration

Euopean Communities
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Wbrking Documents
198 I - lgg2
iOctober 1981 DOCI,JMENT r.560Ar
Report
dra;u4r up on bchalf of the committce on youth, culture, Education, Information
and Sport
on the use of European langusges in air trensport
Xrpportoun Mr M. PEDINI
glish Edition PE 73.41llfin.

At its sitting of 19 September 19i0, the European ParLianent
referred to the Committee on Youth, Cutture, Education, Information
and Sport as the committee responsibIe and to the Committee on
Transport for its opinion, the motion for a resoIution tabted by
llr HABSBURG,and others on thc use of European Ianguagcs in air
t rEnst," rt ( Doc . 1-412/E0) .
At its mecting of ?2 October 1980, the Committee on Youth,
Cutture, ELl.rcation, Information and Sport appointed rlr TURCAT
1
rappo rteur.
The committee considercd tthe motion for a resotution'on
rZ June 1931.
At its mecting of, 23 and 24 September 1981, in view of the fect
that Mr Turcat had left the European Parliament, the conunittee ingtructcd
itg Chairman to atsume responsibility for the report. The rePort was
adopted unanimoutly at the latter m€eting.
Preaent: l4r Pedlni, Chairmani Mr Pattison and !,!r Hahn, Vice-Chairtn€ni
Mr Brok (deputizing for !,tr Schall); !{r DeI Duca; }tr Ectgen (deputising
for Mr !{arck); ltr Papapie'-ro; Mr Schwencke; }lrs Viehoff and Mr Wedeklnd
Ttre explanatory sta t€F'rnt will be preacntcd orally.
Ttre opinion of th Transport Conmittee ic attached.
1 at the meeting of 23/24 September 1981, Mr Turcat was no longer
a member of the Parliament.
-3- PE 73 .41 1 I fin.
CONTENTS;---------'--?_
MOTiJN FOR A RESOLUTION..
Peoe
.5
Opinion of the Committee on TransPort
ANNEX
Irlotion for a resoLution tabLed by l{r HABSBURG and others 9
(Doc. 1'412180)
' 4 - PE 73'4lllfLn'
The committee on Youth, cutture, Education, Information and $port
hereby submits to thc European Parl,iament the fol'Lowing motion for a
resoIution
iIOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
on the use of European tanguages in air transport
The European PaLL!4B!,
-havingregardtothemotionforaresoLutiontabLedbyllrHABsBURG
and others on the use of European Languages in air transport (Doc, 1-412lEO);
- hrr'lng ltgard to Annex 10 of the ICA0 Convention'
- cogn.ising that Safety is the eSsent,"t t"..or in aLt tranSport and
,articuIarIY in air transPort,
- having regard to the report by the Conunittee on Youth, Culture, Education,
Information and Sport and the opinion of the Committee on Transport (Doc. 1-560/8L\
1 Believes that European culture is not threatened by the use of Englieh
in air traffic control;
2. Instructs its president to forward this resolution and the report by
its committee to thc Co.rcrl- Bnd the Comrniesion of the European
Communities and, for i"-orma;ion, to the ICAO.
-5- PE 73 .All/fi'n.
\opinion of the Committee on Transport
Draftsman: Mr C. RiPa di Meana
On 5 December 1980 the Conmittee on ltaneport appointed Ivlr RIPA di II{EANA
draftsman of its oPinion.
The Cotunitree conaidered the draft opinion at ite rneeting of 2Q February
1981 and adopted it unanimously the same day.
Present: I.!r Seefeld, chairmani Dame Shelagh Robertg, !{r Caroaaino,
vic c'. .nr-ni Mr Gatto, draftsman, !!r Buttafuoco, l,Ir Moreland, llr lloorhouse,
l,lr Voi.,'zis.
, lh,
.#
-6- PE 73.4LL/fin.
TNTRODUCTION
1. In the motion for a resoLution by !{r HABSBIRG and others anxiety is
expressed at the inereasingly widespread use of 'Anglo-American 1anguage,
at the exPense of the other Etrropean languages in more and more Eectors of
economic and social IIfe, ln partlcular in air transport.
2. The proposere call upon the l"tember States to address themselves to
this problem, and ark the commisEion to draw up proposals for comrnrnity
harmonization of tho relevant legislation.
LANGUAGE USE IN AIR IBANSPORT
3. The language used in air traffic control is at present gorrerned by
approrred standards and reconnrended practicee eetablished by the Interna-
tional Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The ICAo reconmends that radio comrmnications between pilots and air
traffie controllers ehould be conducted in the language of the air traffic
contror centre, which is not necessariry the language of the country in
which the centre is located. rhe rcAo also recomrnendE that, pending improved
radio cottununication affangements, Englieh ehoutd be the working language, and
that all control statione responeible for international air traffic should
be in a position to operate in nnglishl
The ICAO recommendations also leave open the possibility of regional
agreements being concluded to allow the use of a gecond language in addition
to EngIiEh in air traffic control.
4. In short thiE treans that the loca1 language is used in addition to
English in certain countries.
5. With a view to preventing fatal miEunderstandings between pilot and air
traffic controller, the ICAO hag also produced a 1ong list of standard
phrases.
Ttre existence of Euch a liet points clearry to an urgent need for
uniformity in radio eommunications in civil aviation.
see Annex 10 to the convention on rnternational civir Aviation:International Standards and Recommended Practicee for Aeronautical
Telecomrm.rnicatione, vor rr, thlrd edition, .ruly 1972, para. 5.2.1.r.
-7- PE 73.ALL/fin.
7. Ihis led ltr NoE', in his own-initiative report on behalf of the
former Comnittee on Regional Policy, Regional Planning and Itansport on
the promotion of an appropriate air traffic control system, to point to
the considerable presaure for a single language to be used Ln conurunicationE
with aircraft. Mr NOE' also considered there to be a need for further study
of the duat problem of language and terminology in air traffic controll
8. In a letter to the chairman of your cotmrittee, the IATA etressed the
danger of misunderstandings resulting from the use of more than one language.
In the IATA's view it is desirable f or all air-to-ground comrmrnicatione j-n
air space used by international traffic to be conducted in Erglish?
9. Language problems are also important in the context of cabin Eervice.
Most airlines realize, the importance of this and, as far as possible, enEure
that cabin staff are able to correr the language needs of passengers. Horrrever,
caaes still ariee whereby cabin staff are not seneitive to language dlfflculties
Ttre Comnittee therefore urges airlines and LATA to pay particular attention to
improrze the language facility of cabin staff.
CONCI,USIONS
10. The Corunittee on Tran8port appreciates the initiative by !,!r IIABSBURG
and others to preserve the cul-tural- inheritance of the Etrropean nations.
It believes, however, that, for safety reaaona, Englieh should be the
working language for exchanges of instructionE and information between
pilots and air traffic control.lers in international air traneport, and
requests the Conunittee on Youth, Culture, Educatlon, Information and Sport
to incorporate this recommendatl,on in lts motion for a reEorution.
6. It is patently obvious
instructions or information
collision o\rer zagreb on 21
in March L977. Ihe use of a
both these disasters.
ooc. 49/78, para. 69
Letter from the IATA
the mieunderstandings in the transmiesion of
can have catastrophic resulte, witness the
october 1975 and that at Tenerife airport
foreign language rras partly to blame for
the e:<planatory etatenent.
Ir{r SEEFF:Tn of 31 october lggo.
of
to
I
2
-8- PE 73. lL/fi-n.
ANNEX
M0TI0t{ F0R A RES0LUTT0N (D0C'.l-h12180) tabted by
Mr HAESBURG, ltlr FANT0N, 11 rs AGNELLI, ltl rs SPAAK, Irlr ESTGEN,
I'lr BUCH0U, ltl rs CH0URAQUI, trlr CLEItIENT, ltl rs CRESS0N, ttlr DEBRE,
I'lr DEL0RS, t'lr GANDEBIEN, Irlr ISRAEL, ilrs lil0REAU, trlr ttl0TCHANE,
ilr dioRilESSON, trlr PRUV0T, Mrs ROUDy, Mr SARRE, ilr Konrad SCH0N,
ttlr SEITLINGER and Mr SUTRA
pursuant to RuIe 25 of the RuIea of Procedure on the use
of European Ianguages in air transport.
@,
ulhereas there is a growing retuctance in more and more sectors of
economic and sociaL Life to use a number of European Ianguages,
uhereas the air transport sector is particul.arty affected by the
increasingty uidespread use of Angto-Ameri can Ianguage in a trorId
yithout frontiers in whic.h tanguages are sacrificing their
individuatity to internationaIism,
disturbed by the consequences of this devetopment for the continued
existence of the cuIture and the heritage of the European nations,
vhereas nost of the ftlember States are af f ected or wi LL be af f ected
by this situation,
considers it necessary for Europe to initiate a comnon poLicy
and common actiorr to cope with this ner probtem;
catts upon the I'lember States and the piinisters mceting in potiticat
cooperation to address l.hemsetves to this probtem and to consider
what rreasures are needeci to fitl, the LegaL vacuum that today affects
the t'inguistic rights of the peoptes of Europei
requests the Commission to draw up a pnoposat for harmonizing the
re Ievant trrsi
4. instructs its President to foruard this resol.ution to thc Commission
and to thc liinisters meeting in potiticaI cooperation.
1.
2.
3.
-9- PE 73.4LL/Ann./tLn.



Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Youth, Culture, Education, Information and Sport on the use of European languages in air transport. EP Working Documents 1981-82, Document 1-560/81, 5 October 1981

Euopean CommunitiesEUROPEAN PARLIAMENTWbrking Documents198 I - lgg2iOctober 1981 DOCI,JMENT r.560ArReportdra;u4r up on bchalf of the committce on youth, culture, Education, Informationand Sporton the use of European langusges in air trensportXrpportoun Mr M. PEDINIglish Edition PE 73.41llfin.At its sitting of 19 September 19i0, the European ParLianentreferred to the Committee on Youth, Cutture, Education, Informationand Sport as the committee responsibIe and to the Committee onTransport for its opinion, the motion for a resoIution tabted byllr HABSBURG,and others on thc use of European Ianguagcs in airt rEnst," rt ( Doc . 1-412/E0) .At its mecting of ?2 October 1980, the Committee on Youth,Cutture, ELl.rcation, Information and Sport appointed rlr TURCAT1rappo rteur.The committee considercd tthe motion for a resotution'onrZ June 1931.At its mecting of, 23 and 24 September 1981, in view of the fectthat Mr Turcat had left the European Parliament, the conunittee ingtructcditg Chairman to atsume responsibility for the report. The rePort wasadopted unanimoutly at the latter m€eting.Preaent: l4r Pedlni, Chairmani Mr Pattison and !,!r Hahn, Vice-Chairtn€niMr Brok (deputizing for !,tr Schall); !{r DeI Duca; }tr Ectgen (deputisingfor Mr !{arck); ltr Papapie'-ro; Mr Schwencke; }lrs Viehoff and Mr WedeklndTtre explanatory sta t€F'rnt will be preacntcd orally.Ttre opinion of th Transport Conmittee ic attached.1 at the meeting of 23/24 September 1981, Mr Turcat was no longera member of the Parliament.-3- PE 73 .41 1 I fin.CONTENTS;---------'--?_MOTiJN FOR A RESOLUTION..Peoe.5Opinion of the Committee on TransPortANNEXIrlotion for a resoLution tabLed by l{r HABSBURG and others 9(Doc. 1'412180)' 4 - PE 73'4lllfLn'The committee on Youth, cutture, Education, Information and $porthereby submits to thc European Parl,iament the fol'Lowing motion for aresoIutioniIOTION FOR A RESOLUTIONon the use of European tanguages in air transportThe European PaLL!4B!,-havingregardtothemotionforaresoLutiontabLedbyllrHABsBURGand others on the use of European Languages in air transport (Doc, 1-412lEO);- hrr'lng ltgard to Annex 10 of the ICA0 Convention'- cogn.ising that Safety is the eSsent,"t t"..or in aLt tranSport and,articuIarIY in air transPort,- having regard to the report by the Conunittee on Youth, Culture, Education,Information and Sport and the opinion of the Committee on Transport (Doc. 1-560/8L\1 Believes that European culture is not threatened by the use of Engliehin air traffic control;2. Instructs its president to forward this resolution and the report byits committee to thc Co.rcrl- Bnd the Comrniesion of the EuropeanCommunities and, for i"-orma;ion, to the ICAO.-5- PE 73 .All/fi'n.\opinion of the Committee on TransportDraftsman: Mr C. RiPa di MeanaOn 5 December 1980 the Conmittee on ltaneport appointed Ivlr RIPA di II{EANAdraftsman of its oPinion.The Cotunitree conaidered the draft opinion at ite rneeting of 2Q February1981 and adopted it unanimously the same day.Present: I.!r Seefeld, chairmani Dame Shelagh Robertg, !{r Caroaaino,vic c'. .nr-ni Mr Gatto, draftsman, !!r Buttafuoco, l,Ir Moreland, llr lloorhouse,l,lr Voi.,'zis., lh,.#-6- PE 73.4LL/fin.TNTRODUCTION1. In the motion for a resoLution by !{r HABSBIRG and others anxiety isexpressed at the inereasingly widespread use of 'Anglo-American 1anguage,at the exPense of the other Etrropean languages in more and more Eectors ofeconomic and social IIfe, ln partlcular in air transport.2. The proposere call upon the l"tember States to address themselves tothis problem, and ark the commisEion to draw up proposals for comrnrnityharmonization of tho relevant legislation.LANGUAGE USE IN AIR IBANSPORT3. The language used in air traffic control is at present gorrerned byapprorred standards and reconnrended practicee eetablished by the Interna-tional Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).The ICAo reconmends that radio comrmnications between pilots and airtraffie controllers ehould be conducted in the language of the air trafficcontror centre, which is not necessariry the language of the country inwhich the centre is located. rhe rcAo also recomrnendE that, pending improvedradio cottununication affangements, Englieh ehoutd be the working language, andthat all control statione responeible for international air traffic shouldbe in a position to operate in nnglishlThe ICAO recommendations also leave open the possibility of regionalagreements being concluded to allow the use of a gecond language in additionto EngIiEh in air traffic control.4. In short thiE treans that the loca1 language is used in addition toEnglish in certain countries.5. With a view to preventing fatal miEunderstandings between pilot and airtraffic controller, the ICAO hag also produced a 1ong list of standardphrases.Ttre existence of Euch a liet points clearry to an urgent need foruniformity in radio eommunications in civil aviation.see Annex 10 to the convention on rnternational civir Aviation:International Standards and Recommended Practicee for AeronauticalTelecomrm.rnicatione, vor rr, thlrd edition, .ruly 1972, para. 5.2.1.r.-7- PE 73.ALL/fin.7. Ihis led ltr NoE', in his own-initiative report on behalf of theformer Comnittee on Regional Policy, Regional Planning and Itansport onthe promotion of an appropriate air traffic control system, to point tothe considerable presaure for a single language to be used Ln conurunicationEwith aircraft. Mr NOE' also considered there to be a need for further studyof the duat problem of language and terminology in air traffic controll8. In a letter to the chairman of your cotmrittee, the IATA etressed thedanger of misunderstandings resulting from the use of more than one language.In the IATA's view it is desirable f or all air-to-ground comrmrnicatione j-nair space used by international traffic to be conducted in Erglish?9. Language problems are also important in the context of cabin Eervice.Most airlines realize, the importance of this and, as far as possible, enEurethat cabin staff are able to correr the language needs of passengers. Horrrever,caaes still ariee whereby cabin staff are not seneitive to language dlfflcultiesTtre Comnittee therefore urges airlines and LATA to pay particular attention toimprorze the language facility of cabin staff.CONCI,USIONS10. The Corunittee on Tran8port appreciates the initiative by !,!r IIABSBURGand others to preserve the cul-tural- inheritance of the Etrropean nations.It believes, however, that, for safety reaaona, Englieh should be theworking language for exchanges of instructionE and information betweenpilots and air traffic control.lers in international air traneport, andrequests the Conunittee on Youth, Culture, Educatlon, Information and Sportto incorporate this recommendatl,on in lts motion for a reEorution.6. It is patently obviousinstructions or informationcollision o\rer zagreb on 21in March L977. Ihe use of aboth these disasters.ooc. 49/78, para. 69Letter from the IATAthe mieunderstandings in the transmiesion ofcan have catastrophic resulte, witness theoctober 1975 and that at Tenerife airportforeign language rras partly to blame forthe e:<planatory etatenent.Ir{r SEEFF:Tn of 31 october lggo.oftoI2-8- PE 73. lL/fi-n.ANNEXM0TI0t{ F0R A RES0LUTT0N (D0C'.l-h12180) tabted byMr HAESBURG, ltlr FANT0N, 11 rs AGNELLI, ltl rs SPAAK, Irlr ESTGEN,I'lr BUCH0U, ltl rs CH0URAQUI, trlr CLEItIENT, ltl rs CRESS0N, ttlr DEBRE,I'lr DEL0RS, t'lr GANDEBIEN, Irlr ISRAEL, ilrs lil0REAU, trlr ttl0TCHANE,ilr dioRilESSON, trlr PRUV0T, Mrs ROUDy, Mr SARRE, ilr Konrad SCH0N,ttlr SEITLINGER and Mr SUTRApursuant to RuIe 25 of the RuIea of Procedure on the useof European Ianguages in air transport.@,ulhereas there is a growing retuctance in more and more sectors ofeconomic and sociaL Life to use a number of European Ianguages,uhereas the air transport sector is particul.arty affected by theincreasingty uidespread use of Angto-Ameri can Ianguage in a trorIdyithout frontiers in whic.h tanguages are sacrificing theirindividuatity to internationaIism,disturbed by the consequences of this devetopment for the continuedexistence of the cuIture and the heritage of the European nations,vhereas nost of the ftlember States are af f ected or wi LL be af f ectedby this situation,considers it necessary for Europe to initiate a comnon poLicyand common actiorr to cope with this ner probtem;catts upon the I'lember States and the piinisters mceting in potiticatcooperation to address l.hemsetves to this probtem and to considerwhat rreasures are needeci to fitl, the LegaL vacuum that today affectsthe t'inguistic rights of the peoptes of Europeirequests the Commission to draw up a pnoposat for harmonizing there Ievant trrsi4. instructs its President to foruard this resol.ution to thc Commissionand to thc liinisters meeting in potiticaI cooperation.1.2.3.-9- PE 73.4LL/Ann./tLn.

http://aei.pitt.edu/95126/1/1981%2D82.81.560.pdf

Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Youth, Culture, Education, Information and Sport on the use of European languages in air transport. EP Working Documents 1981-82, Document 1-560/81, 5 October 1981

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Archive of European Integration

Archive of European Integration