WRITTEN QUESTION P-3510/03 by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Driving licences in the European Union.
Date: 2003-11-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, United Kingdom, application of EU law, driving licence, mutual recognition principle, traffic regulations

C 78 E/568

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

The disparate situations obtaining in the relevant legal frameworks of the various Community countries
constitutes a hindrance, and prevents more rapid progress being made in the prosecution of criminals and
their crimes.

Does the Commission believe that it should use its power of initiative to make a survey of the current state
of legal provisions on DNA in order to put forward standard Community legislation which would aid the
EU as a whole to solve crimes within its territory more rapidly?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(14 January 2004)

The use, within an appropriate legislative framework, of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analyses is an
effective investigation technique available to the police and judicial authorities in more and more types of
crime. It makes it possible to determine with a very high degree of probability the origin of samples of
human cells or tissues taken from the crime scene. It can therefore considerably facilitate the process of
identifying (either positively or negatively) those associated with the offence concerned.

Any legislative framework authorising the use of DNA testing is more effective if it allows genetic
databases to be created so that profiles established at the crime scene can be compared with DNA profiles
established in other criminal cases.

The Council has adopted two resolutions on the exchange of DNA analysis results. The first, dated 9 June
1997 (1),
invites the Member States to establish national DNA databases in accordance with the same
standards and in a compatible manner. The second, dated 25 June 2001 (2), lays down a minimum list of
seven markers used for the forensic DNA analyses carried out in the Member States.

In order to make police and judicial action more effective in solving crime, and subject
to legal
arrangements yet to be defined, the Commission is considering the possibility of creating national DNA
databases in all the Member States and broadening the comparison of a profile established on the basis of a
sample taken at the scene of a crime in a Member State with the profiles contained in the other Member
States’ databases.

(1) Resolution 97C 193/02 of 9 June 1997.
(2) Resolution 2001C 187/01 of 25 June 2001.

(2004/C 78 E/0603)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3510/03

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 November 2003)

Subject: Driving licences in the European Union

Can the Commission say whether the British police authorities are acting within the law in refusing to
allow a student attending Leeds University to drive within the United Kingdom, the student in question
being of Greek nationality and holding an automobile driving licence issued by the Greek authorities under
the terms of Directive 91/439/EEC (1) of 29 July 1991 (transposed by Greece and concerning the mutual
recognition of driving licences issued by Member States)?

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/569

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(15 December 2003)

Council Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences (1) established the principle of mutual
recognition of all driving licences issued by Member States. The Court of Justice has just confirmed, in its
ruling in case C-246/00, that this mutual recognition must be unconditional (2). It is clear that the British
authorities must recognise the licence issued by the Greek authorities, especially as students are free to
obtain a driving licence either in the Member State where they are studying or in their Member State of
origin (3).

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, Article 1.2.
(2) C-246/00, Judgment of 10.07.2003, Commission/Netherlands, ECR 2003.
(3) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, Articles 7.1.b and 9.

(2004/C 78 E/0604)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3516/03

by Baroness Sarah Ludford (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 November 2003)

Subject: Commission staffing

What is the total number of permanent staff employed by the European Commission and how many staff
work in each Directorate-General?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(15 January 2004)

The Commission interprets the question from the Honourable Member as referring to officials in active
employment (Staff Regulations Article 36).

The permanent staff employed by the Commission on 1 December 2003 was 18 670 officials. The number
of officials per Directorate-General was as follows:

Directorate-General (DG)

Number of officials

Cabinets (20)

Secretariat general

Legal Service

Press and Communication DG

Group of policy advisers

Economic and Financial Affairs DG

Entreprise DG

Competition DG

Employment and Social Affairs DG

Agriculture DG

Transport and Energy DG

Environment DG

Research DG

Joint Research Centre

265

420

277

372

19

379

577

469

447

756

715

389

616

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