WRITTEN QUESTION E-2276/02 by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission. European road safety checks.
Date: 2002-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU police cooperation, police checks, road safety, traffic regulations

C 52 E/148

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

(2003/C 52 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2276/02

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(24 July 2002)

Subject: European road safety checks

In late 2001, the European Traffic Police Network (Tispol) announced that massive road safety checks
would be carried out in all the 15 Member States of the EU. The Belgian media reported that these would
be the most comprehensive road safety checks ever carried out in the history of Europe. They would take
place over a period of nine days in 2002 and would be carried out simultaneously throughout the
European Union. The checks would concentrate on drinking and driving and on freight and coach
transport. The European Commission indicated that it would use the results as the basis for new European
road safety legislation. The Commission would also have to bear 40 % of the cost of the operation.

Can the Commission now supply me with more information about the Tispol operation? How many
people were checked and fined? What did the entire operation cost?

What is the Commission doing with the results? What proposals for road safety legislation will the
Commission be submitting now that the results of the European road safety checks are available?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2002)

The purpose of Tispol, the European Network of Traffic Police, is to co-ordinate on a Europe-wide scale
different national traffic enforcement actions. Over the years 2000 and 2001 these actions focused on
alcohol checks and checks on heavy goods vehicles. According to the information provided to the
Commission by Tispol, more than 600 000 drivers were stopped and controlled during several alcohol
actions held in 12 European countries (1). The alcohol checks took place at 16 050 different locations
across Europe, involving 30 706 police officers, and 8 233 drivers were not allowed to continue to drive a
car, whereas 1 790 driving licences were revoked. In the same years, Tispol also co-ordinated four actions
called ‘European Operation Mermaid’, directed against road crime and traffic offences by commercial heavy
goods vehicles; in these actions, over 100 000 heavy goods vehicles have been stopped and controlled with
over 39 000 offences detected in total. Of those vehicles, 13 309 were controlled for dangerous conditions;
1 852 were so dangerous that they were not allowed to continue their journeys; 11 458 tachograph and
drivers hours offences were also detected.

For the period mid 2002 to mid 2003, Tispol has indeed programmed similar enforcement co-ordination
actions. Three Europe-wide co-ordinated alcohol enforcement days are anticipated where about 600 000
additional drivers will be checked in at least 12 countries, as well as three further Europe-wide co-
ordinated enforcement days of examining commercial vehicles, where some 65 000 vehicles, their drivers
investigation, plus three Europe-wide co-ordinated
and records will be the subject of additional
enforcement days of examining buses and coaches, where some 65 000 vehicles, drivers and records will
be the subject of additional investigation.

The Commission has given financial assistance over 2000-2001, mainly to support the establishment of
the Tispol organisation. A further contract has been concluded end July 2002 with a view to providing
Tispol for the coming year with a grant of EUR 800 000, as a financial contribution in the administrative
costs linked with the co-ordination at Union level of these concerted national enforcement actions and in
the costs of disseminating best practice in the enforcement domain. These activities will considerably
contribute to an improved road safety in the Union.

As these controls are performed in the course of normal police enforcement activities, any info on cost of
the controls as such would have to be requested from the police authorities of the participating Member
States.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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While these enforcement figures seem impressive, their number is still very low compared to the actual
traffic flows. As announced in the Commission White Paper on European transport policy for 2010: time
to decide (2), the Commission is currently preparing proposals for measures to improve enforcement of
road safety at Union level. The results of the Tispol enforcement actions will be taken into account in this
work.

(1) Namely Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Finland, United Kingdom, Norway, Slovenia

and Switzerland.
(2) COM(2001) 370 final.

(2003/C 52 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2286/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(25 July 2002)

Subject: Protection of cultural monuments and the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the

River Arachthos

It is planned to build a hydroelectric power station at Aghios Nikolaos on the River Arachthos which is
protected by Directive 92/43/EC (1) on the protection of natural habitats, and this has alarmed local
inhabitants and environmental organisations. They are particularly concerned about
the possible
destruction of historical and cultural monuments in the region and, above all, the historic ‘Plaka’ bridge.
These fears have been exacerbated by information that, in order to receive the necessary authorisation, the
construction firm which undertook the project submitted a topographical map on which the site of the
traditional ‘Plaka’ bridge is located one kilometre further north than its actual location, at a point where
the water level will be 8 metres lower.

Can the Commission confirm the accuracy of the environmental impact assessments?

Can it assure local inhabitants that the cultural monuments and the above bridge in particular will not be
affected?

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(23 September 2002)

The Commission, following written question P-3174/01 by Mr Averoff (1) has sent a letter to the Greek
authorities asking information regarding three hydroelectric projects in the region of Ipiros. One of the
projects concerned was aiming to create a hydroelectric plant in the area of Agios Nikolaos (Arachthos).
In particular, the Commission has addressed the issue of compliance with Council Directive 92/43/CEE of
21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (2) and the respect of
Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985, on the assessment of the effects of certain public and
private projects on the environment (3), as modified by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (4).

The Greek authorities have provided a reply to the above questions and currently the Commission is
examining in detail the information received, with a view to assessing whether the installations in question
would have a negative effect on the environment.

Concerning the hydroelectric plant in the site of Agios Nikolaos (Arachthos), the Greek authorities have
confirmed that the project has not yet been approved. In fact, a study on the ‘Pre-approval of Localisation
of the hydroelectric installation’ has been submitted by the company and is currently under examination
by the competent national authorities.
If a Decision of Pre-approval of Localisation is taken, an
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study has to be prepared. The EIA of the project needs to
identify, describe and assess in an appropriate manner the direct and indirect effects of the project, among
other factors, on the cultural heritage.