New EU rules on road safety high on agenda

Date: 16/12/1999

By Simon Coss

LISBON is hoping to use its six-month stint at the Union's helm to champion new EU rules which could go some way towards improving its own appalling road-safety record.

Portugal currently has the most dangerous roads in the Union, with the highest number of traffic deaths per hundred inhabitants.

“Our record is really very bad on this, so we will be pushing hard for the issue to be discussed over the coming six months,” said one official.

The basis for the forthcoming road safety debate will be a European Commission report which is due to be published within the next few weeks.

The document drawn up by Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio will attempt to tackle the problem from two distinct angles.

Firstly, it will look at ways of ensuring that drivers found guilty of dangerous driving face tougher penalties in future and is likely to suggest setting a Union-wide maximum level for blood alcohol to combat drink-driving. All drink-driving legislation in the EU is currently drawn up by national governments.

The second part of De Palacio's report will consider the issue of car design and is likely to suggest drawing up new EU-wide laws to force car manufacturers to comply with tougher safety rules when producing new vehicles.

Portugal also hopes to make progress on a number of other transport-related issues during its presidency.

Diplomats will try to advance the debate on plans drawn up by the European Commission for new EU rules aimed at reducing the flight delays suffered by air travellers in Europe.

At present, nearly half of all flights within the Union are at least 15 minutes late. Suggestions for measures to tackle this problem include allowing civil aircraft to use airspace usually reserved for military use when it is not needed by the Union's airforces.

The Portuguese will also be hoping to make progress on rail safety during their presidency, following the agreement reached at marathon talks between Union transport ministers late last week on a package of measures to open up the EU's rail-freight sector to competition.

The Commission has been asked to draw up proposals for new safety measures as part of that deal.