31. 1. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 25/9 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Directive relating to the maximum permitted blood alcohol concen­
tration for vehicle drivers 
COM(88) 707 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 12 December 1988) 
(89/C 25/18) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community and in particular Article 75 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas one of the objectives of the common transport 
policy is to lay down common rules applicable to inter­
national transport within the Community, in particular 
with regard to safety conditions applying to road users in 
the Member States; 
Whereas the growth of road traffic and the resulting 
increase in danger present all Member States with safety 
problems of a similar nature and seriousness; 
Whereas the resolution of 19 December 1984 adopted by 
the Council and the representatives of the Governments 
of the Member States of the European Communities, 
meeting within the Council ('), undertook to ensure the 
rapid adoption of road safety measures, and invited the 
Commission to submit proposals; 
Whereas drinking and driving is estimated to be a 
contributory factor in one-third or more of the 50 000 
road deaths per year in the Community; Whereas the resolution of 13 March 1984 of the 
European Parliament on road safety (2) recommended 
that the Commission submit as soon as possible proposals 
to establish a single maximum permissible blood alcohol 
concentration of 0,80 mg/ml for all drivers; and whereas 
the resolution of 18 February 1986 (5) reiterated this 
recommendation; 
Whereas the Member States have differing laws 
concerning the maximum permitted level of alcohol in a 
driver's blood; whereas intra-Community road traffic is 
substantial and whereas therefore it is desirable to 
approximate laws concerning the maximum permitted 
alcohol level in the blood of drivers; 
Whereas laboratory tests have shown that drivers' 
reaction time increases greatly, while their ability to 
process information decreases greatly, where their blood 
alcohol concentration exceeds 0,80 mg/ml and whereas 
tests have also shown that, above this level alcohol is the 
principal factor governing the risk of an accident; 
Whereas it is proven that driving ability can be severely 
impaired even at blood alcohol concentration of 0,50 
mg/ml and that the risk of accident involvement in that 
case is more than one-and-a-half times as high as in the 
case of sober drivers, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
For the purposes of this Directive 'driver of a vehicle' 
means any driver of a power driven vehicle with three or 
more wheels and any rider on a power-driven two-wheel 
vehicle. 
(2) OJ No C 104, 16. 4. 1984, p. 38. 
(') OJ No C 341, 21. 12. 1984, p. 1. (3) OJ No C 68, 24. 3. 1986, p. 35. 
No C 25/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 1. 89 
Article 2 
The maximum permitted blood alcohol concentration for 
drivers of vehicles shall be no more than 0,50 mg alcohol 
per ml of blood as from 1 January 1993. 
Article 3 
1. Member States shall, after consulting the 
Commission, bring into force the laws, regulations and 
administrative provisions which are necessary in order to 
comply with this Directive within 12 months of its notifi­cation. They shall forthwith inform the Commission 
thereof. 
2. Member States shall ensure that the texts of the 
main provisions of national law which they adopt in the 
field covered by this Directive are communicated to the 
Commission. 
Article 4 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
Re-examined proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of laws, regulations and 
administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction products (') 
COM(88) 783 final - SYN 77 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council in accordance with Article 149 2(d) of the EEC 
Treaty on 12 December 1988) 
(89/C 25/19) 
The Commission has re-examined its proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of 
laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction 
products (2) following the position of the European Parliament (J) on the occasion of its second 
reading. It maintains the joint position as laid down in the Council document 7658/88 of 26 
July 1988, with the following modification however: 
In Article 2 (3) the words in bold type are added: 
'3. When a future directive will concern mainly other aspects and only to a minor extent 
the essential requirements of this Directive, that other directive shall contain provisions 
ensuring that it also covers the requirements of this Directive.' 
0) OJ No C 30, 4. 2. 1988, p. 9. 
(2) EP 128.503 16. 11. 1988. 
(5) OJ No C 305, 16. 11. 1988, p. 75.