WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1749/98 by Rosemarie WEMHEUER to the Commission. European Road Safety Campaign
C 402/158 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 22. 12. 98 (98/C 402/211) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1749/98 by Rosemarie Wemheuer (PSE) to the Commission (5 June 1998) Subject: European Road Safety Campaign On 13 May 1998 the European Road Safety Campaigní: Think before you drive! 10 seconds. that can save your lifeí, supported by various automobile clubs, Toyota and the Commission, was presented at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. All members of the European Parliament received publicity folders on the subject. 1. What is the overall budget for this campaign? 2. What financial contribution is being paid by the sponsors, especially Toyota? What is the Commission contribution? 3. Who is the campaign aimed at? 4. What material is being used to conduct the campaign with (publicity folders, posters, advertisements etc. )? In what quantities were they produced? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (30 June 1998) 1. The total budget for the campaign is 1. 3 MECU. The Commission contribution of 50 % is 650 000 ECU. The remaining 50 % is financed by the organisers, 2. and through them, the different motoring and touring clubs. At the request of the Commission the organisers wrote to all major car producers with a manufacturing presence in the European Union inviting them to participate in the campaign. The minimum commitment for sponsorship was as follows: › a campaign subscription of 10 000 ECU to cover administrative costs; › the printing and distribution of campaign leaflets in numbers equivalent to 50 % of the total European annual sales for the manufacturer concerned; › the printing and distribution of stickers in numbers equivalent to 50 % of the total European annual sales for the manufacturer concerned. Only Toyota Motor Europe responded positively to this invitation. The Commission is advised that they have in fact exceeded the minimum commitment for sponsorship. The campaign is aimed at all drivers and their passengers and has the purpose of contributing to efforts 3. made by the Commission, Member State governments, motoring clubs, police forces, local authorities and the general public to reduce the terrible toll of 45 000 deaths and 16 million injuries caused annually by road accidents in the Community. 4. The campaign is managed by the motoring and touring clubs and therefore the materials used vary in each Member State. Basic materials are stickers, T-shirts, posters, computer mouse-mats and leaflets. The quantities vary but, for example, the initial print run for the stickers was 10 080 000 pieces, and for leaflets 1 300 000 pieces