Brussels, 23/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, on Thursday 19 June, the European Parliament adopted by 498 to 8 and 6 abstentions the report by Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL, Germany) on the proposal for a directive aimed at improving the safety of EU road infrastructure. The proposal had been rejected in February by the EP transport committee, of which a majority of members felt that binding provisions on this would run counter to the principle of subsidiarity. A compromise negotiated with the Council and Commission end May 2008, which provides for the directive's annexes not to be binding for member states, should allow adoption of the text at first reading.
On 5 October 2006, the Commission presented a proposal for a directive aimed at improving the management of road network safety, an area in which there are still no harmonised European rules. The proposal was rejected in February by the EP transport committee which had already rejected it in June 2007. Most of its members felt that it would be counter to the principle of subsidiarity and would create too much red tape if its guidelines were made compulsory. In October 2007, the Transport Council also approved the idea of a directive with non-binding annexes. At end May 2008, negotiations on an agreement in first reading were concluded successfully during an informal trilogue between the Council, Commission, the rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs of the EPP, PES and Greens/.EFA. As part of the compromise, annexes to the directive will not be binding for member states that should “make an effort” to comply with them. According to the Parliament and Council, the directive's scope should be limited to the trans-European networks and not extended to all EU motorways.
MEPs say assessment of the impact on road safety should demonstrate the implications of the different planning alternatives of an infrastructure project on road safety and play an important role when itineraries are being selected. Furthermore, road safety audits should be carried out for all infrastructure projects and a detailed inventory should be made of the dangerous aspects of a road project.
Stressing the importance on increasing safety levels on existing roads, MEPs say that drivers should be alerted to stretches of road with a high accident rate. Nonetheless, they stress the importance of preventive safety inspections.
In their compromise agreement, the European Parliament and the Council indicate that a sufficiency of parking areas along roads is important both in crime prevention and also in ensuring road safety. The existence of a sufficient number of secure parking and rest areas should therefore form an integral part of safety management for road infrastructures. In their text the two institutions agree definitions on the main subjects dealt with in the directive such as “competent bodies”, “security inspection” and “infrastructure projects”.
Finally, MEPs believe that the member states should ensure that adequate signage is put in place to warn road users when stretches of road are being repaired and that this may endanger their safety. These should be illuminated signs which are visible by day and night and placed at a safe distance, and should conform to the Vienna Convention on road signs. The compromise reached by the Parliament and Council should enable the draft directive to be adopted in the first reading. (O.L./transl.fl)