12. 3. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 62/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the introduction of a standard Europe-
wide emergency call number (*) 
(90/C 62/01) 
On 18 October 1989 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 100 A of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the proposal for a 
Council Decision on the introduction of a standard Europe-wide emergency call number. 
The Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs, which was 
responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 28 
November 1989. The Rapporteur was Mr Green, the Co-Rapporteur Mr Mantovani. 
At its 272nd Plenary Session (meeting of 19 December 1989) the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following Opinion: 
1. General comments 
1.1. The proposal seeks to introduce 112 as the standard 
EC-wide emergency call number. 
1.2. It is also proposed gradually to improve the 
language skills of staff who take calls on the EC emergency 
number. 
1.3. The ESC supports the proposals, particularly 
because of the significant rise in both private and business 
travel within the EC in recent years. 
1.4. Inevitably, more and more EC citizens will 
therefore encounter an emergency situation in another EC 
Member State. 
1.5. The ESC attaches considerable importance to the 
EC emergency number being introduced alongside existing 
national emergency numbers. 
1.6. This is because the national emergency numbers in 
many EC states have become entrenched as a result of many 
years' use. 
1.7. It is also important that the schedule for introduc­
ing the EC emergency number should be reasonably 
(!) OJ No C 269, 21. 10. 1989, p. 8. flexible for those Member States who have not yet planned 
technical modifications or have to speed up changes in their 
number planning. At all events the deadline laid down in 
Article 2 of 31 December 1992 must not be exceeded by 
more than 12 months, which would mean that the three-
year delay period up to 31 December 1995 provided for in 
Article 3 should be reduced. 
1.8. New technology is currently being introduced in 
telecommunications, and the time is therefore ripe for 
introducing a European-wide emergency number. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. We must point out that there is a mistake in Table 
No 1. Denmark has not in fact introduced 112 as a national 
emergency number yet, but has merely set it aside for 
emergency use. 
Table No 1 also states incorrectly that in Italy 112 is used 
by the military police. It is in fact used by the 'carabinieri' 
(national police). 
2.2. As it appears that the information regarding two 
Member States — Denmark and Italy — is incorrect, the 
Commission should check the information regarding the 
other ten Member States. 
No C 62/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 12. 3. 90 
Done at Brussels, 19 December 1989. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the 
Member States relating to the spray-suppression devices of certain categories of motor 
vehicles and their trailers (!) 
(90/C 62/02) 
On 6 September 1989, the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 100A of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services, which was responsible for the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 29 November 1989. The Rapporteur was 
Mr Perrin-Pelletier. 
At its 272nd Plenary Session (meeting of 19 December 1989) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion by a majority with one vote against and four abstentions: 
1. Introduction 
1.1. The draft Directives under review follow up the 
commitment which the Commission made in the 1986 
Road Safety Year to have specific measures adopted in the 
areas in question. 
Any Commission initiative which seeks to introduce 
measures to reduce further the number and seriousness of 
accidents, and hence to improve safety for all road users, is 
to be welcomed. 
1.2. An initial draft Directive was presented in August 
1987; its main aim was to improve road safety by using 
spray-suppression devices intended to limit the amount of 
water, mud and pebbles thrown up by the wheels of moving 
vehicles. The technical content of this draft Directive was 
based on current requirements in various Member States 
and on recommendations by experts. 
1.3. This initial draft Directive gave rise to discussions 
in the Economic and Social Committee (2) and in the 
European Parliament; given the importance of the 
amendments requested, the draft was replaced by a new 
proposal, now the subject of this Opinion. However, the 
(!) OJ No C 263, 16. 10. 1989, p. 19. 
(2) OJ No C 80, 28. 3. 1988, p. 17. Committee deplores the fact that there has not been 
sufficient advance consultation with industry on the 
subject, a point already raised in its last Opinion. 
2. General comments 
2.1. The problems addressed by the Commission in this 
draft Directive are most certainly a source of concern for 
the driving public and the authorities. 
2.2. The clouds of spray thrown up by the tyres of heavy 
commercial vehicles travelling at relatively high speeds on 
wet road surfaces create potentially dangerous driving 
conditions for other motorists, particularly when overtak­
ing. 
2.3. The formation of spray depends mainly on 1) the 
type of road surface, particularly its design, 2) the tyre tread 
configuration, 3) the aerodynamics and speed of the 
vehicle. 
Rough road surfaces and wide-grooved tyre treads tend to 
produce less spray than smooth surfaces and finely grooved 
tyres. The spray itself is generated by the water forced out 
of the area of contact between the road surface and the 
tyre; the problem tends to be further aggravated by the 
combined aerodynamic effects of 1) vehicle movement,