L 143/76 Official Journal of the European Union 30.4.2004 DIRECTIVE 2004/36/CE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 21 April 2004 on the safety of third-country aircraft using Community airports THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 80(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (%), Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (2), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 26 February 2004, Whereas: (1)  The Resolution on the air disaster off the coast of the Dominican  Republic adopted by the European Parliament on 15 February 1996 (*) highlights the need for the Community to take a more active stance and develop a strategy to improve the safety of its citizens travelling by air or living near airports. (2)  The Commission has issued a Communication to the European Parliament and the Council entitled ‘Defining a Community Aviation Safety Improvement Strategy’. (3)  That Communication clearly states that safety may be effectively enhanced by ensuring that aircraft comply fully with the international safety standards contained in () O] C 103 E, 30.4.2002, p. 351. (3 0] C 241, 7.10.2002, p. 33. (}) Opinion of the European Parliament of 3 September 2002 (O] C 272 E, 13.11.2003, p. 343), Council Common Position of 13 June 2003 (O] C 233 E, 30.09.2003, p.12) and Position of the European Parliament of 9 October 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal). European Parliament legislative resolution of 1 April 2004 and Council Decision of 30 March 2004. () OJ C 65, 4.3.1996, p. 172. the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, signed in Chicago on 7 December 1944 (the Chicago Convention’). In order to establish and maintain a high uniform level of civil aviation safety in Europe, a harmonised approach to the effective enforcement of international safety standards within the Community should be introduced. To that end, it is necessary to harmonise the rules and procedures for ramp inspections of third-country aircraft landing at airports located in the Member States. A harmonised approach to the effective enforcement of international safety standards by the Member States will avoid distortions of competition. A common stance on third-country aircraft that fail to comply with international safety standards will be of benefit to the position of the Member States. Aircraft landing in the Member States should undergo an inspection when it is suspected that they do not comply with international safety standards. Inspections may also be carried out in accordance with a spot-check procedure in the absence of any particular suspicion, provided that Community and international law is observed. In particular, the inspections should be carried out in a non-discriminatory way. Inspections could be stepped up in the case of aircraft in which defects have already been identified frequently in the past, or on aircraft belonging to airlines whose aircraft have frequently attracted attention. Information gathered in each Member State should be made available to all the other Member States and the Commission in order to ensure the most efficient monitoring of the compliance of third country aircraft with international safety standards.