Taxes on plane tickets are already very high and I hope that we will find a way of financing that does not impose a further burden directly on air passengers.

Concerning compensation for passengers, it is of course very important that a passenger should be offered the possibility of travelling with another airline or having his/her money refunded, but it is also very important to take into account the moral damage suffered in such cases by a passenger who has to cancel his/her journey at the last minute.

I am really speaking on behalf of some very stressed-out passengers from the Interpretation Service and for staff who were in tears at the thought they might not get on the plane.

- the average number of noise events in one or more of the periods is very low (for example, less than one noise event an hour; a noise event could be defined as a noise that lasts less than five minutes; examples are the noise from a passing train or a passing aircraft),

- the average number of noise events in one or more of the periods is very low (for example, less than one noise event an hour; a noise event could be defined as a noise that lasts less than five minutes; examples are the noise from a passing train or a passing aircraft),

5. The first reflections of the group indicated a large degree of consensus on several aspects of the transition process to a single currency, as regards - the necessary continuity of contracts and legal obligations on moving to stage III: - the lack of need to maintain or re-create any form of an ECU basket on moving to stage III, even if all Member States do not immediately participate in the final stage of EMU. 6. Vice-President Christophersen welcomed the decision of the Group to organise hearings in the near future with representatives from professional business organisation (banks, SMEs, retailers etc.) and with consumers.