WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3695/98 by Patrick COX to the Commission. Booklet detailing the rules of the road in the various Member States
Date: 1998-11-24
Institutions: COX, European Parliament
Subjects: EU publication, accident prevention, approximation of laws, dissemination of EU information, public awareness campaign, road network, road traffic, road transport, trans-European network, transport accident

C 297/96

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

15.10.1999

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 1999)

The question raised by the Honourable Member refers to a situation which is not governed by Community law.
Greek income tax legislation is not subject to any harmonisation. It is not, therefore, for the Commission to
comment on the way the Greek authorities apply the legislation.

(1999/C 297/128)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3695/98

by Patrick Cox (ELDR) to the Commission

(24 November 1998)

Subject: Booklet detailing the rules of the road in the various Member States

Given the ever-increasing number of road accidents and deaths, and in view of the Commission’s commitment
to a programme on road safety, will the Commission consider producing a booklet in all languages setting out
the rules of the road applicable in each Member State?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 1998)

The Commission draws the attention of the Honourable Member to the fact that most of the traffic rules
applicable in Europe have been harmonised in the framework of the Geneva and Vienna conventions under
the auspices of the United Nations economic commission for Europe.

However, there are still differences that can be quite important for people travelling by road throughout
Europe. The Commission consequently published a leaflet jointly with the ‘Alliance internationale de tourisme’
(AIT) in 1991 indicating the most important differences in traffic rules and signs. The leaflet, produced in
English, French and German, has been widely distributed through the national association members of AIT.
The advice in that leaflet is still accurate.

An assessment will be made of the costs and potential effectiveness of publishing the sort of document which
the Honourable Member suggests and these could be evaluated in relation to other publicity campaigns.

(1999/C 297/129)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3734/98

by Aline Pailler (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(11 December 1998)

Subject: International convention on the rights of migrant workers

In its reply to Written Question E-2283/96 (1) by the same author as this question, the Commission stated that
no Member State had ratified the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant
workers and members of their families. Has the Council decided to take steps to encourage ratification of this
convention, as called for by the European Parliament in its resolution on human rights in the European Union?

(1) OJ C 365, 4.12.1996, p. 103.

Reply

(22 April 1999)

The Council recognizes the importance attached by the European Parliament to the implementation of the
international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families,
which was adopted by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 45/158 of 18 December 1990. However,