WRITTEN QUESTION E-0565/03 by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission. Rules on reversing alarms.
Date: 2003-02-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accident prevention, bus, camping vehicle, commercial vehicle, highway code, motor car, road safety, road traffic, safety device, signalling device, transport accident

9.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 242 E/147

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(14 April 2003)

In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the management of the programmes financed under the
Structural Funds is a responsibility that is decentralised to the authorities in the Member States. Once the
broad strategic priorities for each programme have been decided in agreement with the Commission, it is
the responsibility of
individual projects for support and to monitor
implementation. The Commission does not therefore receive requests for funding for individual projects
and does not consequently commit financial resources at the project level.

the Member States to select

Financial support from the Structural Funds to the programmes is delivered via payments on account and
following payment applications submitted by the relevant authority in the Member State. In accordance
laying down general
with Article 31.2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999,
provisions on the Structural Funds,
the Commission shall automatically decommit any part of a
Community budget commitment which has not been settled by the payment on account or for which it
has not received an acceptable payment application by the end of the second year following the year of
commitment. For the United Kingdom, no decommitments have been made at this stage in respect of
Leader+ and URBAN II. For both programmes, the initial budgetary commitments were not made until
2001. Therefore, in accordance with Article 31.2 the possibility of a decommitment will not arise until the
end of 2003.

As far as forecasts for payment applications are concerned, the Commission has asked Member States
through the Committee for the Development and Conversion of Regions (CDCR) to stress to their payment
authorities the importance of reliable forecasts in view of a sound and efficient budget execution.

(2003/C 242 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0565/03

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 February 2003)

Subject: Rules on reversing alarms

It is interesting to note that studies conducted by the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Authority)
in the United States show a high rate of accidents in which pedestrians, many of them children, have been
killed by reversing vehicles. Unfortunately, no similar statistics are available in Europe. Reversing alarms
can prove effective, as has been shown in Anglo-Saxon countries. However, in Europe, such devices are
prohibited by some highway codes (e.g. in France) and not even mentioned in others (e.g. in Italy).

Does the Commission not consider that rules should be introduced on the subject at Community level with
respect to lorries, buses, camper-vans, caravans and any other vehicles whose driver’s view is restricted
when reversing?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2003)

The Commission is concerned that as far as is practicable and necessary, blind spots in the driver’s field of
view to the front, side, and rear of the vehicle should be eliminated. To this end, the Commission has
proposed a draft Directive (1) which aims at increasing the field of indirect vision for drivers of passenger
cars, buses and lorries by upgrading the performance of rear view mirrors and accelerating the
introduction of new technologies for detecting other road users or pedestrians within the blind spots
around motor vehicles.

The Commission proposal adds specific blind spot reduction requirements to the existing Directive on
rear-view mirrors.

C 242 E/148

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

The key changes would entail:

(cid:1) mounting additional mirrors on certain vehicles;

(cid:1) upgrading technical characteristics of mirrors;

(cid:1) replacing certain mirrors with other indirect vision systems, such as camera/monitor systems and

introducing additional systems like detection sensors.

Nonetheless, the Commission is aware that blind spot mirrors may not be sufficient to entirely solve the
problem of road users being hit by reversing trucks. Therefore, the Commission will analyse the accident
data collected in all Member States (EU CARE database) with regard to these types of accidents. On the
basis of this analysis it could be decided whether further countermeasures are appropriate. Because of the
adverse environmental impact of audible reversing alarms, especially in areas surrounding car parks and
industrial/commercial premises, where such alarms would be audible for most of the day, consideration
will also be given to other countermeasures such as vehicle mounted sensors.

(1) OJ C 126 E, 28.5.2002.

(2003/C 242 E/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0571/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 February 2003)

Subject: National park in the Nestos Delta

As the Association for the Protection of the Ecological Development of the Nestos has pointed out, six
years after its foundation (Greek Government Gazette 854/16.9.96), the National Park of Macedonia and
Thrace is still not operational, while the wetlands it comprises are at serious risk. The national park
includes the wider area of the Nestos Delta, Lakes Vistonida and Ismarida, the salt marshes at Almyra, Lafri
and Lafrouda and the intervening coastal areas. Also within its boundaries are seven areas included in the
Natura 2000 network. However, despite the announcement that a national park was to be set up under
the management of a single body, no measures have been taken towards implementation of the project
and, moreover, recent years have seen a significant deterioration in the ecosystem owing to the installation
of fuel storage tanks.

intercede with the Greek authorities to reach an
Can the Commission give assurances that
agreement based on the sound and balanced management of this site of European importance, within the
meaning of Directive 92/43/EEC (1), and does it possibly intend to co-finance the creation of this national
park?

it will

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

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2003)

The common ministerial decision 5796/1999 designating the zones of the delta of Nestos, the lake
Vistonida and the lake Ismarida as a National Park is no longer in force. According to the Greek law, the
necessary legal framework aiming at the protection of the sites and complying with the objectives set out
in Directives 79/409/EEC (1) and 92/43/EEC (2) is composed of an approved management plan (specific
environmental study), a Presidential Decree and a Management Body.

Currently, the Commission is assessing several complaints related to the deterioration of the Delta of
Nestos, principally due to the absence of an appropriate legal framework for its protection and its
conservation. The Commission will not hesitate to take all the appropriate measures,
including the
initiation of an infringement procedure under Article 226 of the EC Treaty, in order to ensure the correct
application of Community environmental law.