Brussels, 28/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - In a press release, the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) protests against declarations made by the European Commissioner for Transport, Mrs. Loyola de Palacio, who told the European Parliament that the question of the level of alcohol allowed behind the wheel came under subsidiarity (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.12). "A Commission proposal (to harmonise the permissible level of alcohol) has been on the table since 1988 and Parliament recently invited the Commission to update it", notes ETSC, campaigning for a tightening of safety measures on the road. "If the rest of the Commission agree (with Mrs. de Palacio), this would be a major backtrack on road safety and a lost opportunity to save 1000 lives annually". In addition, "it would run contrary to the successive road safety opinions of the European Parliament".