WRITTEN QUESTION E-1408/03 by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission. Dangers to motorcyclists caused by from road markings.
Date: 2003-04-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC conformity marking, EU control, European Committee for Standardisation, paints and varnishes, research and development, research project, road building, road network, road safety, two-wheeled vehicle

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21.11.2003

The Council
18 February 2003 entitled ‘Champagne taste on a beer budget’.

for Rural Areas makes similar comments on government policy in its statement of

The Council calls on the national government:

(cid:1) to continue to accept its responsibility for creating the Network of protected areas in full;

(cid:1) to ensure that resources are available to achieve the objectives set;

(cid:1) to create forms of financing to allow these resources to be used so that sustainable funding is available

for the countryside now and in the future;

(cid:1) to use every opportunity to create the Network of protected areas and actively promote the

participation of the farming community and private individuals in nature conservation.

Is the European Commission aware of the contents of the above publications?

Does the European Commission share the concern about Netherlands government policy on the Network
of protected areas?

Is the European Commission prepared to insist that the Netherlands government complies with its
responsibility to implement the Birds and Habitats Directive in full?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2003)

As for all other Member States, the Commission is monitoring the implementation of the Council Directive
79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (1)
(Birds Directive) and the Council
Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
flora (2) (Habitats Directive) in the Netherlands. With the designation of 76 Special Protection Areas under
the Birds Directive and with 78 proposed Sites of Community Importance under the Habitats Directive, the
Netherlands made their
first contributions to the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. The
communication to the Commission of an additional list of 56 proposed Sites of Community Importance
under the Habitats Directive has been announced, as well as the extension of the area of six Special
Protection Areas under the Birds Directive. This increase in number and total area of Natura 2000 sites in
the Netherlands will represent a substantial contribution to the protection of biodiversity in the
Netherlands and the Union.

As far as the transposition of the Habitats Directive into Dutch legislation is concerned, the Commission
has decided to refer the Netherlands to the Court of Justice because of shortcomings in Dutch legislation
for implementing the Habitats Directive. So far,
the existing legislation does not provide adequate
safeguards for Natura 2000 sites, it fails to provide adequately for the monitoring of habitats and species
and omits measures for certain plant species protected under the Directive. Meanwhile, a proposal for the
revision of the Dutch Nature Protection Act of 1998 was submitted to the Dutch Parliament with a view
to improving this situation.

The Commission is not aware of the particular publications mentioned by the Honourable Member.
However, the Commission will continue to insist that the Netherlands fully comply with the Habitats and
Birds Directives.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2003/C 280 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1408/03

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Dangers to motorcyclists caused by from road markings

(23 April 2003)

On a large number of roads, motorcyclists experience problems with slippery road surfaces and road
markings. In rainy conditions, road markings become very slippery, and travelling by motorcycle can be
very dangerous, especially on bends. The authorities frequently opt for the cheapest solutions and do not
always choose good quality anti-skid paints. Furthermore, checks on whether or not the paint meets

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Official Journal of the European Union

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current standards are too infrequent. Problems also arise with pitch, which is used to make minor repairs
to road surfaces. However, in rainy conditions, pitch becomes very slippery. Motorcycles skid very easily
on such surfaces, and the braking distance becomes longer. In addition, the material used is not long-
lasting. There are, nevertheless, road repair products which are safer and which last longer.

Is the Commission aware of these problems?

What measures is the Commission taking to prevent slippery road surfaces and road markings?

Does the Commission have any information about alternatives to conventional paints used for road
markings, and what is its opinion thereof?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(27 May 2003)

The Commission is very concerned about the dangerous condition of certain stretches of road and skid
resistance is an important determinant for the level of safety of a road. However, it is to be recalled that
the maintenance of roads including the proper use of road markings and pavements is the competence of
Member States.

Upon mandate of the Commission, CEN (1) has adopted a standard on materials for road markings that
provide a good grip even when the road is wet (norm EN 1423:1997 (cid:1) Road marking materials drop on
materials (cid:1) Glass beads and anti-skid aggregates and mixtures of them). As to road bound pavements
CEN/TC 227 is about to prepare a standard on products, which will be subject to CE marking on the basis
of the Construction Products Directive (Council Directive 89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the
approximation of
the Member States relating to
construction products (2)) once the standard is adopted. The quality classes defined in these norms allow
road authorities to procure much better performing materials than paint without such additives.

laws, regulations and administrative provisions of

Once such markings and pavements are in place, their skid resistance needs to be controlled. At this point
in time, each Member State uses one or two in a total of twelve different models of measuring devices for
skid resistance. In an attempt to create safety conditions comparable between the different Member States,
CEN group TC 227 WG 5 is developing a draft standard defining a uniform procedure to determine skid
resistance from a dynamic measurement.

The Commission supports these activities though the research projects Format (maintenance of road
pavements) and Silvia (low noise pavements), both of which were launched in 2002.
In its work
programme of 2003, the Commission has announced to submit to Parliament and Council a Directive on
black spot management and road safety audits. With such procedures in place, it is possible to identify
sections of high risk and develop remedial measures in a cost effective way and target to safety critical
sections on spots in the network.

(1) Committee European Normalisation.
(2) OJ L 40, 11.2.1989.

(2003/C 280 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1410/03

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(14 April 2003)

Subject: Bull bars

The proposal for a directive relating to the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the
event of a collision with a motor vehicle (1) concerns, inter alia, bull bars. Car manufacturers have given a
commitment not to install rigid bull bars on their motor vehicles, nor to sell them as spare parts.
In practice, many Belgian car dealers have already put an end to the use of bull bars. However, the proposal