Brussels, 23/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - By obtaining a political agreement on the draft proposal to strengthen pedestrian and "vulnerable" user road safety (cyclists), the Competitiveness Council has given its agreement to the European Commission for imposing as from 1 October 2005, strict construction rules for certain kinds of vehicles. An agreement in first reading on the draft was possible following contact between the Council and Parliament and thanks to the signing of an agreement in 2001 between the Commission and the motor industry. The draft will be formally adopted during one of the next Council meetings.
The aim of the proposal is to reduce the number of deaths and accidents caused by cars and pedestrians and cyclists by changing the fronts of vehicles. According to the Commission, in the EU 9,000 pedestrians and cyclists die every year while 200,000 are injured. That is why from 1 October 2005, the front ends of cars and vans sold in the Community will have to be built in a way that limits the impact of shocks in collisions with vehicles and pedestrians and cyclists.
Tests will be enforced for vehicles concerned, to ensure that the measures are being applied. Also, more rigorous tests will be brought in from 2010. In so doing, the Commission hopes to avoid 2000 fatal accidents a year. The agreement reached on Monday also provides: that this new directive will be part of a wider set of measures on road safety put into practice by the industry and Member States and based on an exchange of best practice; for the Commission to examine the feasibility, on 1 July 2004, of extending the scope of the directive to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes; for the Commission to report to Council and Parliament by 1 April 2006 (and every two years thereafter) on progress made by industry in terms of passenger protection.