WRITTEN QUESTION E-1522/02 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Road accidents in Greece.
Date: 2002-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European standard, Greece, alcohol, approximation of laws, mortality, road safety, road transport, transport accident

C 277 E/224

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

As repeated very often (cid:14) the same European Council set the target for Europe: To become the most
competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth
with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. To achieve this, the Union must enhance the quality
and competitiveness of
its service industries, as these will determine the continuing success of the
European economy.

The Commission is in the process of identifying all identifiable barriers to services as well as preparing
proposals to remove those barriers. It is expected that the Commission will shortly publish a report.

On the basis of this report the Commission will decide in which areas to propose harmonisation at
Community level.

(2002/C 277 E/245)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1522/02

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 June 2002)

Subject: Road accidents in Greece

It is well-known that Greece is the EU country with the highest number of fatal road accidents. Every year,
approximately 3 000 Greeks lose their lives and several thousands are severely injured on the Greek roads.
It is worth noting that over the period of Orthodox Easter alone (beginning of May 2002) 63 Greeks were
killed and over 600 were injured in road accidents. The majority of these were due to excessive speed, the
terrible condition of the road surface, extremely deficient signposting and the fact that many drivers drive
under the influence of alcohol.

Could the Commission say in which countries of the Union driving licences are confiscated, and for what
reasons, and in which EU states there is provision for the immediate seizure of the vehicle of a driver who
is arrested for drunk driving?

Has the Commission requested any information or explanation from the Greek authorities for the huge
number of deaths and injuries in road accidents in Greece?

Is there any existing Community legislation, or plans to adopt any, making provision for specific,
harmonised and severe penalties, to be implemented in all the Member States of the Union, to be applied
to drunk drivers or those driving under the influence of drugs, who put their fellow citizens’ lives at risk?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2002)

With 1 895 fatalities in 2001, Greece has one of the highest death rates per inhabitant in the Union from
road accidents. The gap between the Greek and the European average is, however; beginning to close, as
the numbers killed in 2001 were 9 % lower than those in 2000. The main causes of accidents are excessive
or inappropriate speed, drink driving and failure to wear seatbelts.

On 17 January 2001, the Commission adopted a recommendation (1) on the maximum permitted blood
alcohol content for drivers, inviting the Member States to apply a general limit for blood alcohol level
lower than or equal to 0,5 milligrammes per millilitre (mg/ml) and to step up the checks made by the
police forces.

This recommendation does not deal with penalties in the case of infringements. Measures to withdraw
driving licences remain the competence of the countries concerned pursuant to Article 8(2) of Council
Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences (2). This is also true in the case of other
penalties, fines, warnings and prison sentences.

There is no legislation providing for the confiscation of a vehicle in cases where the driver’s blood alcohol
level is excessive. During their checks, however, police forces may retain the licence of a driver under the
influence of alcohol or presumed to be under such influence as a precautionary measure.

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/225

In accordance with the intentions stated in the White Paper on European transport policy (3),
the
Commission is examining possible ways of achieving greater harmonisation of the most important rules
governing driving, and the control measures intended to apply these rules, while respecting as fully as
possible the principle of subsidiarity.

Finally, the Commission regularly conducts exchanges of information with those responsible for road
safety in the various Member States, including Greece, with a view to preparing proposals to harmonise
driving rules and the improvement of safety.

(1) Recommendation of 17 January 2001, OJ C 48, 14.2.2001.
(2) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.
(3) White Paper (cid:14) European transport policy for 2010: time to decide, COM(2001) 370 final.

(2002/C 277 E/246)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1526/02

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Regulation of foreign language courses

(3 June 2002)

As Summer approaches, we will again witness countless offers for foreign language courses in numerous
Community locations, without having any system of comparing the educational merit of the courses in
question.

There is therefore an ever more pressing universal call for a system of approving those courses deemed by
experts to be of sufficient educational value for students.

Can the Commisson indicate if the eagerly awaited objective of a system of approval for language courses
throughout the European Union will be realised in the short term, in order to safeguard users who are
seeking to learn a foreign language, and not just to go on a fairly pleasant holiday at a centre which lacks
the proper qualifications for language teaching?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2002)

One of the Commission’s objectives has for a long time been to promote an improvement in the quality
and an increase in the quantity of foreign language teaching and learning.

The Commission understands concerns about the varying standards of teaching in language courses in
Europe. For this reason, the brochure ‘How you can learn languages’ (‘Así se puede aprender idiomas’),
which was published as part of the European Year of Languages 2001, contains specific advice to the
It has also supported the establishment of European
learner about how to choose a good course.
associations working to improve standards in this field (such as the European Association for Quality
Language Services, the Association of Language Testers in Europe).

The Commission intends to bring forward by early 2003 proposals for actions to promote linguistic
diversity and language learning, and with this aim it will soon launch a process of consultation on all
aspects of this field. More generally, it is undertaking a number of initiatives connected with the quality of
education and training in Europe and the transparency of validation systems. The Commission will bear in
mind the issues raised by the Honourable Member in these activities.