WRITTEN QUESTION E-0462/00 by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Blood alcohol levels for drivers.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/165 (2000/C 330 E/186) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0462/00 by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission (24 February 2000) Subject: Blood alcohol levels for drivers Can the Commission state whether a new proposal for the reduction of blood alcohol levels permitted for drivers of motor vehicles throughout the European Union is being considered and, if so, when is the Commission likely to come forward with these proposals? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (20 March 2000) For many years the Commission has investigated the problem of drinking and driving and the road accidents which it generates. The conclusion, from a road safety as well as from a public health point of view, is that national and European actions to reduce the incidence of drinking and driving are a priority to make Community roads safer and to prevent much human suffering. Most experts will agree that what is required is a package of measures to tackle this problem embracing blood alcohol content (BAC) limits, appropriate health promotion programmes and campaigns, effective and targeted enforcement, penalties, and rehabilitation programmes for serious offenders. The original proposal for a BAC limit of 0,5 milligramme per milliliter (mg/ml) brought forward in 1988, remained unadopted simply because too many Member States objected to such a measure on the grounds of subsidiarity, even though they themselves were prepared to accept 0,5 mg/ml. Indeed, since 1988 some Member States have accepted 0,5 mg/ml in their national legislation. Against this background, the Commission has no intention to put forward a new directive but sees a Council recommendation has the best way to deal with this important road safety and public health problem. (2000/C 330 E/187) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0464/00 by Gunilla Carlsson (PPE-DE) to the Commission (24 February 2000) Subject: Must-carry rules for cable networks and their impact on the EUís policy on Television without Frontiersí Must-carry rules imposed on cable networks pose a problem in several Member States. Such rules oblige cable operators to transmit a number of mostly national broadcasts, including in some cases pay-television services. Cable capacity is scarce and only a limited number of broadcasts and services can be transmitted. Must-carry rules reduce the transmission capacity available to meet customer demand. Such rules have an adverse impact on the functioning of the internal market, the freedom to provide services and on the retransmission of transborder television services. In addition, they discriminate in favour of national broadcasts, to which they grant privileged access to cable. I refer to my previous parliamentary question E-2006/98 (1) and ask the Commission to state what steps it has taken in the meantime and what further steps it plans to take in the near future. A time schedule in this respect would be welcome. (1) OJ C 13, 18. 1. 1999, p. 134