Brussels 27/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Union does not, for the time being, have the resources to create a European Road Safety Agency. This, in substance, is what the Commissioner in charge of Transport, Jacques Barrot, told the press at the Transport Council of 27 March.
During a public debate, the Italian transport Minister Pietro Lunardi once again called for a European Road Safety Agency to be created, pointing out that such agencies exist for rail, air and maritime transport. The European Parliament has also supported this proposal on several occasions. However, given the cuts decided on by the European Council of December 2005 to the budgetary framework 2007-2013, it is apparently impossible to think about creating a Road Safety Agency in the near future. "We are not ruling it out, but for the time being, we have too much on our plates with our financial difficulties" to be able to take a decision on this, Mr Barrot told the press conference.
In the immediate future, therefore, the Commission intends to concentrate on other areas, particularly on the use of dipped headlights during the day. " I am not insensible to the issue of headlights during the day", said Commissioner Barrot during the public debate, adding that he would "go into greater depth" on this dossier with the Commissioner for Industry, Günther Verheugen, in order to propose "solutions for new and existing cars at the same time", this year. Mr Barrot also reiterated his intentions of presenting other proposals, still in 2006, with such objectives as improving the safety of road infrastructure and dealing with road infringements across borders. Lastly, he stressed that making the use of blind-spot rear-view mirrors compulsory for all heavy-goods vehicles, in line with directive 2003/97, will be obligatory only for such vehicles registered in the EU, as of 1 January 2007.
For his part, minister Lunardi announced that the forthcoming Verona conference on road safety will take place from 3 to 5 November 2006. This fourth meeting of its kind will be given over to: -the risks children take on the road; -new actions to improve road safety for motorised two-wheeled vehicles; -road safety management in urban areas; -innovation and technology at the service of road safety.