WRITTEN QUESTION E-2657/00 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission. Vehicle stopping distances.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: commercial vehicle, intra-EU trade, safety device

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/215

Agreement). These rules prohibit discriminatory measures between similar products. According to WTO
rules, there is no difference between cosmetics tested on animals and those tested in vitro, and therefore
there is no justification to discriminate between them. A general marketing ban therefore may lead to a
dispute, particularly with the United States and Japan.

On this basis, the Commission has adopted a proposal (1) for a Directive of the Parliament and of the
Council amending for the seventh time Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approxima-
tion of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products (2), which would have the effect of
changing the present marketing ban into a ban on animal testing within the Community. At the same
time, the Commission will do all possible to encourage the international adoption of alternatives to animal
tests, both in bilateral discussions and in OECD.

(1) COM(2000) 189 final.
(2) OJ L 262, 27.9.1976.

(2001/C 89 E/243)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2657/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Vehicle stopping distances

Is the Commission aware that air brakes on trucks have an in-built lag in operation of up to 0,3 of a
second between the time that the brake pedal is depressed and the brakes begin to function, and that this
equates, at just 30 miles per hour, to one car length before the brakes begin to take effect?

Is the Commission also aware that if a car and a laden truck travelling at the truck(cid:146)s limited speed
(56 miles per hour) brake at the same moment, then when the car has come to rest the truck will still be
travelling at 30 miles per hour?

Is the Commission also aware that the present standards required for brake efficiency are based on the
level of retardation provided rather than stopping distances? Since this is the case, does the Commission
agree that in order to reduce the present unacceptably high level of nose-to-tail crashes (deaths and
injuries) between trucks, and between trucks and other smaller vehicles, that the effective following
distances must be increased?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(28 September 2000)

It is true that stopping distance and braking efficiency vary between passenger cars and heavy commercial
vehicles. This is the reason why the test procedures and the limit values differ between these types of
vehicles. Council Directive 71/320/EEC of 26 July 1971 on the approximation of the laws of the Member
States relating to the braking devices of certain categories of motor vehicles and of their trailers (1) as last
amended by Commission Directive 98/12/EC of 27 January 1998 (2), stipulates in Annex III, item 2.3 that
in the case of the actuation time of 0,2 second, the time elapsing between the beginning of actuation of
the control pedal and the moment when the pressure in the brake cylinder reaches 75 % of its asymptotic
value shall not exceed 0,6 second. It is true that the traditional air brake systems for heavy vehicles have
relatively long reaction times, but they must meet this requirement. The situation for most new vehicles
has dramatically improved since the introduction, some years ago, of electrical operation of brakes,
reducing brake reaction times to the almost instantaneous.

C 89 E/216

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

Both stopping distance and deceleration are regulated in Annex II of the above mentioned Directive, as
well as many other safety aspects of brakes, for example downhill behaviour and hot performance.
Working party 29, on the construction of vehicles, of the United Nations(cid:146) economic commission for
Europe, also regulates deceleration and stopping distance. It is important that vehicles have stable and
predictable behaviour during braking. A requirement only regulating vehicle stopping distance could
increase the risk of spinning.

(1) OJ L 202, 6.9.1971.
(2) OJ L 81, 18.3.1998.

(2001/C 89 E/244)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2679/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: European procurement

Does the Commission believe that there is an obligation on Member States with regard to public
procurement to extend its scope from those products and services conforming with EU standards to
cover those that may be (cid:145)equivalent(cid:146) to these standards?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 September 2000)

The purpose of the rules on the use of technical specifications in public procurement is to ensure
transparency and non-discrimination in the award of contracts. Contracting entities cannot reject bids
conforming to or equivalent to European standards, or if these do not exist other relevant standards, for
reasons of non-compliance with technical requirements.

(2001/C 89 E/245)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2706/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Consumer price data

Will the Commission please state which Member States collect consumer price data on a regional basis,
allowing a real comparison of incomes in each region?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Germany:

Spain:

Italy:

Regional prices are collected but not such as to permit regional
income comparisons.
Consumer price indices (CPIs) are however published for the former German democratic
republic and the former German Federal republic.

Regional CPIs at NUTS-3 level are published.

The Italian statistical office, ISTAT, publishes CPIs for the main city in each of 20 regions.
In addition, about 80 municipalities publish their own CPIs.