WRITTEN QUESTION No. 682/98 by Per STENMARCK to the Council. Alcohol and safety on Europe's roads
C 13/4 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 1. 1999 Furthermore, can the Commission take steps to define what is meant by the term ápublic serviceí and hence ascertain whether the corporation is fulfilling this task or not? In view of the situation, does the Commission intend to check whether it actually is a State aid and whether it is considered compatible with the common market withing the meaning of Article 42(3)(c) of the EEC Treaty? If it is, does the Commission intend to exercise its powers under Article 93 of the Treaty and call upon the Italian State to discontinue this aid? Supplementary answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (28 July 1998) The Commission can confirm that on 19 June 1996 a complaint against RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana S. p. A. ) concerning breaches of Community law on state aid was lodged with the Commission. The Commission had already requested the Italian authorities to produce the necessary information for the assessment of the case. The Italian government provided the requested information, but the Commission needs additional information in order to have a more complete picture of the matter. As similar financing schemes in favour of public broadcasters exist in most Member States, the Commission will adopt a coherent approach to all cases currently under investigation. This will necessarily take into account the Community competition rules, and in particular Articles 90, 92 and 93 of the EC Treaty, as well as the Treaty of Amsterdam, and in particular the new Article 7D and the Protocol on public service in broadcasting. On the basis of the information received, the Commission will proceed to examine the complaint, coherently with similar cases concerning other Member States. (1999/C 13/006) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0682/98 by Per Stenmarck (PPE) to the Council (16 March 1998) Subject: Alcohol and safety on Europeís roads The number of fatal accidents on Member Statesí roads is very high, with somewhere in the region of 45 000 people killed every year. Drink driving is a major contributory factor. What steps is the Commission prepared to take to lower the permitted alcohol limit for drivers? Reply (24 September 1998) The Council shares the Honourable Memberís concerns regarding the need to improve road safety in order to reduce the number of road accident victims, concerns which it expressed in the conclusions adopted at its meeting on 17 and 18 June 1997 concerning road safety, with particular reference to the Commission communication entitled Road safety in the European Union › the programme for the years 1997-2001í. With particular regard to the problem of drink driving, the Council would draw the Honourable Memberís attention to the signing on 18 June 1998 by representatives of the Fifteen Member States of the Convention on Driving Disqualifications. Implementation of this Convention will give Union-wide effect to decisions imposing disqualification from driving taken further to a number of offences, notably driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other substances likely to affect or diminish the mental and physical abilities of a driver