IN A NUTSHELL...
Adopted in 2001, the European Commission’s (EC) Transport White Paper concerns future common transport policy. The 130-page document proposes 60 measures to overhaul the current transport policy in order to make it more sustainable and avoid huge economic losses due to congestion, pollution and accidents. The Paper also proposes the target of halving the number of road fatalities by 2010.
This target was subsequently repeated in the European Road Safety Action Programme, adopted in 2003.
In June 2006, the Mid-term review of the White Paper on Transport (2001)(2) was adopted by EC. It met with much critiscm from European Transport Safety Council.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
European Road Safety Action Programme announced in the White Paper on European transport policy approved by the Commission on 12 September 2001.
On 23-24 October 2003, the EU Transport Ministers adopt the so-called "Verona Charter" which includes a series of measures to improve road safety in Europe. The purpose of the Charter, is to encourage civil society, national and local authorities to actively participate in the endeavour to reach the target of halving the number of roads deaths by 2010.
The Verona Charter fed into the 2004 campaign for the European Road Safety Charter launched in January 2004 in the European Parliament (Brussels). So far, around 600 companies and public authorities have signed the charter.
In turn, the European Road Safety Charter forms part of the European Road Safety Action Programme.
WHAT IS THE RSAP?
The Road Safety Action Programme (RSAP) sets out in detail specific measures to encourage road users to improve their behaviour, to make vehicle safer, and to improve road infrastructure. The responsibility is shared in achieving this between EU, Member States, regional and local authorities, industry, transport companies and private users. Member States retain responsibility for road safety but the European Commission hopes that national, regional and local authorities will sign up to the campaign and implement activities.
In addition, the Programme provides for the setting up of a European Road Safety Observatory within the Commission. It proposes that all the parties concerned, whether public or private, should subscribe to a European Road Safety Charter. It also reaffirms the overall of halving the number of road accident victims by 2010.
WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES SO FAR OF THE RASP?
The European Parliament presented a report on the RSAP to the Transport Committee on 16 March 2005.
The report by Ari Vatanen (EPP-ED, France) welcomes the Commission Communicatin and the ambitious objective of halving the number of road fatalities by 2010.
It underlines that only an integrated systems approach that addresses all pillars of road safety - user behaviour, road infrastructures and vehicle safety - can lead to significant and lasting results.
A number of MEPs stressed that the exchange and the implementation of Best Practice should be a major priority of the EU’s road safety policy. They expressed doubts about the necessity of creating a European Road Safety Agency, saying the establishment of a European Road Safety Observatory within the Commission was sufficient.
The report was adopted in September 2005. See related EPHA article.
Response of the European Transport Safety Council.
THE SITUATION AT PRESENT
In February 2006, €100 million was made available from the Sixth Framework Programme for Research that will advance the safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians. A few key projects have been set up, many of which feed into European and international working groups on vehicle safety and supports European transport and industrial policies.
These projects include:
The APROSYS Project - Reducing death and injury due to road accidents
Reducing whiplash injuries
Improving passive safety
Improving crash compatibility between car
Daytime running lights
Better crash test dummies
In-vehicle system to sense danger
Improved safety through car-to-car communication
Road sector working together to identify its research agenda
For more information on each ofthese projects, please click here
Also in February 2006, the Commission adopted a communication on the Mid-term review of the European Road Safety Action Programme. The figures published showed the efforts made in the European Union since 2001 on road safety, in some but not all EU member states. For example, in 2005, there were 8000 fewer road deaths than in 2001.
However, the review noted that not enough progress has been made and more effort will be needed , at national and European level, to achieve the objective of halving the number of road deaths by 2010.
WHAT DOES THE EUROPEAN TRANSPORT SAFETY COUNCIL THINK?
According to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), the Review is a disappointment as the European Commission has not kept its promise to propose legislation if there was not a significant drop in the number of deaths. ETSC noted that despite some laudable isolated national achievements, EU road safety policy is far from a success story and the gap between the best- and the worst-performing Member States is widening.
The ETSC made the following recommendations -
The European Commission must adopt a Directive on infrastructure safety.
The Commission should table without delay the live saving Directives promised on retrofitting of blind spot mirrors for trucks and on daytime running lights.
It should also introduce a Directive to tackle cross-border enforcement of traffic law.
The Commission should also support Member States’ efforts to promote the use of in-vehicle technologies such as seat belt reminders and alcohol interlocks, and to stimulate the development of intelligent speed adaptation and data recording devices.
SO WHAT IS THE SITUATION IN 2006?
March 2006 -
Press release from the Austrian EU Council Presidency where Hubert Gorbach announced the agreement of European Transport Ministers on joint action to cut the number of deaths on Europe’s roads.
May 2006 -
The European Directive on the compulsory use of seat belts for all categories of vehicles is incorporated into law in the Member States by 9 May 2006. The Directive also requires the use of restraint systems specially adapted for children. More info
June 2006 -
Transport Council ministers agreed common conclusions on a concrete package of measures designed among other things to bring further improvements in vehicle safety and road infrastructure safety.
9 June 2006 -
EU Transport Ministers called for additional measures to protect vulnerable road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists. VOICE applauds the ministers recognition of the priority protecting
the most vulnerable road users should play in European Transport
policy and calls upon the Commission to respond to the Minister’s
call for action with a number of proposals.
22 June 2006 -
Mid-term review of the White Paper on Transport (2001)(2) adopted by EC. The ETSC criticises the Review becaue of the lack of concerted actions in road safety. (See the ETSC recommendations above in this article).
30 June -
As Finland prepares to take up the Presidency on the 1st of July 2006,
the road safety community expects it to play a leading role in the field of EU road safety policy.
3 November 2006 -
The Fourth Verona Conference on Road Safety, attended by 30 ministerial delegations from Europe and beyond, focused on children’s mobility and road safety awareness; safety of two-wheeled vehicle users; and innovations in road safety and related technology. Transport Commissioner, Jaques Barrot announced that there has been an 8% reduction of fatalities in the EU between autumn 2005 and autumn 2006. Conclusions from the conference can be downloaded at the end of this article.
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