WRITTEN QUESTION E-0984/04 by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The role of tiredness in road accidents.
Date: 2004-03-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accident prevention, common transport policy, driving period, road safety, transport accident

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/263

(cid:1) a regional approach taking into account regional diversities, ecological characteristics, threats and

socio-economic aspects;

(cid:1) strategic marine spatial planning for the regional seas covering the whole of the EU continental shelf,

which would introduce a plan-led approach to the sectoral decision-making systems?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission is currently in the process of drawing up a European Maríne Strategy. As part of this
process, a Stakeholder Conference will be organised jointly with the Dutch Presidency in November 2004.
Publication of the final proposal is foreseen in March 2005.

The main elements of the foreseen strategy will be a common approach for all European seas, combined
with:

(cid:1) a specific regional approach to enable regional problems and solutions to be addressed;

(cid:1) a holistic integrated approach to address all human uses impacting on the marine environment.

An essential element in the implementation of the strategy will be an ecosystem approach for the
management of human activities impacting on the marine environment which will take account of all the
elements mentioned in the Honourable Member’s written question.

(2004/C 88 E/0268)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0984/04

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 March 2004)

Subject: The role of tiredness in road accidents

According to the Finnish Road Safety Organisation (Suomen Liikenneturva), the statistics compiled by fatal
road accident investigation boards indicate that 12 % of head-on collisions with a fatal outcome are due to
drivers falling asleep. The true figure is likely to be higher still, as many accidents which are actually
caused by tiredness are attributed to some kind of error in the handling of the vehicle. A survey in Norway
has shown that as many as one third of all head-on collisions and run-off-the-road accidents were due in
one way or another to tiredness, whereas for example alcohol or drugs are involved in only 11 % of
accidents.

One of the priorities of the Commission’s transport policy is promoting transport safety. When seeking
practical ways of improving road safety, how will the Commission take account of the prevalence of
accidents caused by tiredness? Has the Commission investigated (cid:1) and if not, will it investigate (cid:1) the role
of tiredness in road accidents throughout the EU?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission is aware of the figures quoted by the Honourable Member which show that tiredness
plays an important role in road accidents.

Tiredness is an important consideration in the legislation on the working hours and the driving and rest
periods of professional drivers (1) for which the Commission has recently made several proposals, including
one on roadside inspections which is currently before Parliament and the Council (2).

C 88 E/264

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The Commission is supporting research projects such as the AWAKE (3) project under the 5th Framework
Programme, which aims to improve our understanding of the causes, other than just lack of sleep,
of tiredness leading to road accidents, and to develop technology to detect hypo-vigilance and alert the
driver.

The Commission will continue to promote research in this field.

(1)

In particular Regulations (EEC) No 3820/85 and 3821/85, OJ L 370, 31.12.1985, and Directive 2002/15/EC,
OJ L 80, 23.3.2002.

(2) COM(2003) 628 final.
(3) Assessment of driver vigilance and Warning According to traffic risK Estimation.

(2004/C 88 E/0269)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0992/04

by Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 March 2004)

Subject: Telecommunications

The new regulatory framework enables authorities to intervene in the telecommunications market and
gives them broad discretionary powers when deciding which obligations would be most appropriate in
order to remedy market failure. The directives do not provide sufficiently detailed guidance on how to
modulate regulatory action in terms of the possible range of obligations which the authorities may impose.

The Commission indicated in its 2004 work programme that it had adopted a recommendation seeking to
lay down guidelines for choosing regulatory action in accordance with the proportionality principle and in
keeping with the regulatory objectives laid down in the framework directive.

In its 2004 work programme the ERG states that it plans to adopt a document which it calls a ‘draft joint
ERG/EC approach on appropriate remedies in the new regulatory framework’. For harmonisation purposes,
legislative action is indeed required in order to establish criteria for the application of remedies in the new
regulatory framework. Clarifications should therefore be provided as to the legal status of the joint ERG/EC
approach and its role in the Community and national legal systems.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The new regulatory framework has the objective of achieving a harmonised framework for the regulation
of electronic communications services, electronic communications networks, associated facilities and
associated services. However, a regulator’s choice of the particular remedy or remedies to be applied to
firms with significant market power is addressed at national level. Aside from exceptional remedies (which
are in any case subject to Commission control), all remedies available to be imposed on undertakings
designated as having Significant Market Power (SMP) are laid out in Articles 9 to 13 of the Access and
Interconnection Directive (1) and in Chapter III of the Universal Service Directive (2).

As set out in Article 7(2) of the Framework Directive (3), national regulatory authorities, when exercising
their independent powers under the new regulatory framework, must contribute to the development of the
internal market by co-operating with each other, and with the Commission, in a transparent manner to
ensure consistent application of the framework. In particular, national regulatory authorities must seek to
agree on the types of instruments and remedies best suited to address particular types of situations in the
market place.