Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Priorities in EU Road Safety — Progress Report and Ranking of Actions"
Date: 2000-09-21
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU programme, European Union, application of EU law, approximation of laws, report, road safety

24.1.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 22/25

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Communication from the Commission to the
Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the
Regions: Priorities in EU Road Safety — Progress Report and Ranking of Actions’

(2001/C 22/07)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Priorities in EU Road Safety —
Progress Report and ranking of actions (COM(2000) 125 final);

having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Promoting Road Safety in the EU:
The Programme for 1997-2001 (COM(97) 131 final);

having regard to the decision taken by the Commission on 20 March 2000, under the first paragraph of
Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult it on the matter;

having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 2 June 1999 to direct Commission 3 for Trans-
European Networks, Transport and Information Society to draw up the relevant opinion;

having regard to the Committee of the Regions opinion on a Proposal for a Council Decision on the
Proposal for a Council Decision on the Promotion of Sustainable and Safe Mobility (CdR 64/97 fin) (1);

having regard to the Committee of the Regions opinion on the Common Transport Policy: Sustainable
Mobility: Perspectives for the Future (CdR 189/99 fin) (2);

having regard to the draft opinion adopted by Commission 3 on 26 June 2000 (CdR 166/2000 rev. 1)
(rapporteur: Mr Cummins IRL/PPE);

whereas road safety is an issue which touches on the life of every citizen in the European Union;

whereas the Treaty on European Union makes an explicit requirement that the Common Transport Policy
should include measures to promote transport safety;

whereas the achievement of objectives under the Common Transport Policy and the Programme for
Promoting Road Safety are shared competences with an important role for local and regional authorities,

adopted the following opinion at its 35th plenary session on 20 and 21 September 2000 (meeting of
21 September).

1.

The Committee of the Regions’ views and rec-
ommendations

1.2.
The Committee of the Regions endorses the ranking of
actions and the recommendation to decision-makers, subject
to the inclusion of additional actions and the consideration of
other identified matters as set out below.

1.1.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the progress
report and the ongoing Action Programme for the promotion
of road safety in the EU.

(1) OJ C 244, 11.8.1997, p. 33.
(2) OJ C 374, 23.12.1999, p. 76.

1.3.
The Communication does not state whether or not
there is a more widespread use of the cost-benefit approach to
road safety at all levels of policy-making. This was a specific
recommendation of
the Communication from the Com-
mission: Promoting Road Safety in the EU — The Programme

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Official Journal of the European Communities

24.1.2000

for 1997-2001. The Committee of the Regions queries whether
the Programme has been a success in attempting to implement
this approach.

into levels of implementation and enforcement in all Member
States, especially speed control methods. The CARE database
could be further developed and used to collate and disseminate
such information. This information may allow the assessment
of a correlation between poor levels of implementation and
enforcement and high numbers of accidents and fatalities.

The Committee of the Regions believes that personal
1.4.
freedom ‘rights’ should not be allowed to supersede the safety
of other road users. Dangerous and anti-social behaviour
curtail
to mention
endangering personal safety. Safety should always be a priority.

freedom of others, not

the personal

It is noted that the first three of the ranked actions
1.5.
(EuroNCAP, seat belts and alcohol) are all related to the public’s
awareness of road safety issues. The Committee, therefore,
advocates that all decision-makers should ensure that increas-
ing public awareness is treated as a priority.

Europe-wide and national campaigns which target specific
offences, for example speeding and drink driving, should be
encouraged. Increasing compliance with the rules of the road
requires changes in attitude and driver behaviour. Laws alone
will not change the way cars are used. Public campaigns are a
method which will assist in changing attitudes, including the
use of role-models, where appropriate.

1.6.
The Committee encourages a partnership approach to
raising public awareness amongst decision-makers, enforcers
and road users. It is suggested that the private sector could
in public awareness campaigns. For example drink
assist
companies could be further encouraged to help finance
drink driving campaigns, or insurance finance more targeted
campaigns at young drivers and those at greatest risk.

1.7.
The Committee of the Regions believes that greater
emphasis should be placed on training, which would be a very
cost-effective action in the prevention of accidents. As much
as 99 % of all accidents probably could be avoided if the right
action is taken at the right moment. Training which would
improve road safety and heighten awareness of dangers to
help avoid accidents is encouraged. Training of young drivers
could begin in schools with road safety awareness courses.

1.8.
The Committee of the Regions advocates the import-
ance of implementation and enforcement of legislation, and
notes that there appears to be a considerable variation of
implementation and enforcement between Member States. It
is suggested, therefore, that Europe-wide analysis is carried out

The Committee of the Regions asks the Commission to
1.9.
develop recommendations to evaluate road-building measures
with regard to the safety of road users. At least with regard to
new constructions, which are funded by the European Union,
in this way a "road safety audit" could be required.

1.10.
The Committee of the Regions supports experimen-
tation into the development of alternative incentives, such as
tax discounts, which may advance investment in road safety.
For example, insurance schemes could be devised which would
encourage greater road safety and awareness, particularly for
young drivers. Such incentives may assist in emphasising the
benefits of investment in safety, compared with the costs of
not investing.

1.11. Whilst the Communication gives an indication as to
how multi-criteria analysis and cost effectiveness assessment
can illustrate the benefits of road safety measures, more
research is required into how these and other mechanisms can
be developed. The Committee of
therefore,
suggests the establishment of demonstration projects in order
to depict how cost-effectiveness assessment and other mechan-
isms can be applied to road safety issues The demonstration
projects could be specific to the challenges in individual
Member States, and would comply with the EU’s role of
supplementing local and national action, particularly in the
field of coordination.

the Regions,

1.12.
The Committee of the Regions questions the apparent
dominance afforded to the car in the Action Programme on
road safety. The safety of all road users is equally important,
be they pedestrians, cyclists, users of multiple occupancy
vehicles etc. People should be encouraged to switch to the
safest mode of transport. The road, however, should be safe
for all modes of transport. The car, or any other mode of
transport, should not be allowed to dominate, to the detriment
of the safety of other modes. In this regard, cars should be
designed so that
they have the least effect possible on
passengers and pedestrians, in the event of an accident.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 22/27

1.13.
The Committee of the Regions suggests that there
should be a greater emphasis on medical checks for drivers,
such as elderly drivers and others, to ensure their ability to use
their vehicles safely.

1.14.
The Committee of the Regions calls on the Com-
mission to mobilise all means to achieve — within a reasonable
timeframe — the harmonisation of technical devices to be
fitted on vehicles by automobile manufacturers.

Brussels, 21 September 2000.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European
Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources in
the internal electricity market’

(2001/C 22/08)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the
promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market (COM(2000)
279 final — 2000/0116 (COD);

having regard to the decision taken by the Council on 26 June 2000, under the first paragraph of
Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult the Committee on the matter;

having regard to the decision taken by the Committee of the Regions Bureau on 13 June 2000 to instruct
Commission 4 for Spatial Planning, Urban Issues, Energy and Environment to draw up the relevant
opinion;

having regard to the Council conclusions of 11 June 1999 (8013/99);

having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 26 May 1998 on electricity from renewable
energy sources (A4-0199/98);

having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 30 March 2000 on electricity from renewable
energy sources and the internal electricity market (A5-0078/2000);

having regard to the Commission communication entitled Energy for the Future: renewable sources of
energy — White Paper for a Community strategy and action plan (COM(97) 599 final) and the Committee
of the Regions opinion on this communication (COR 57/98 fin) (1);

having regard to the draft opinion adopted by Commission 4 on 7 July 2000 (COR 191/2000 rev. 1 —
rapporteur: Mr Maier, D/PSE),

adopted the following opinion at its 35th plenary session of 20 and 21 September 2000 (meeting of
21 September).

(1) OJ C 315, 13.10.1998, p. 5.