European Parliament 2014-2019
7.9.2015 0041/2015
WRITTEN DECLARATION
submitted under Rule 136 of the Rules of Procedure
on the renewal of the Commission’s recommendations on maximum levels of alcohol in the blood for drivers of motor vehicles from 2001
Patricija Šulin (PPE), Dubravka Šuica (PPE), Siegfried Mureşan (PPE), Martina Dlabajová (ALDE), Nicola Caputo (S&D), Wim van de Camp (PPE), Esther de Lange (PPE), Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE), Nuno Melo (PPE), Claudia Tapardel (S&D), Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD), Petri Sarvamaa (PPE), Eduard Kukan (PPE), Csaba Sógor (PPE)
Lapse date: 7.12.2015
DC\1070891EN.doc PE567.450v01-00 EN EN 0041/2015
Written declaration, under Rule 136 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, on the renewal of the Commission’s recommendations on maximum levels of alcohol in the blood for drivers of motor vehicles from 20011
1. In 2001, the Commission adopted a recommendation on the maximum permitted blood alcohol content (BAC) for drivers of motorised vehicles (Commission Recommendation of 17 January 2001, OJ L 43, 14.2.2001).
2. However, statistics show that driving under the influence of alcohol is still to blame for a quarter of deaths on European roads (cf. WHO and European Commission). The figures are significantly higher in some Member States, exceeding 30 % (e.g. in Slovenia, France and Spain) and even 40 % (e.g. in Cyprus). To these should be added all the people who remain permanently affected by injuries acquired in traffic accidents.
3. In addition, the recommendation was adopted before the enlargement of the EU and therefore did not take account of the situation in countries that joined the EU after 2004.
4. The Commission is therefore called upon to check whether the provisions of the 2001 recommendation on maximum blood alcohol content for drivers of motor vehicles are still in line with the latest scientific findings and, if appropriate, to update them.
5. This declaration, together with the names of the signatories, is forwarded to the Council and the Commission.
1 Under Rule 136(4) and (5) of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, where a declaration is signed by a majority of Parliament’s component Members, it is published in the minutes with the names of its signatories and forwarded to the addressees, without however binding Parliament.
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