Question for written answer E-005142/2017 to the Commission

Michał Marusik (ENF)

On 28 March 2017 the Commission published a report on road safety which showed that road deaths fell by 2% in 2016 compared with 2015. The Commission maintains that road safety has improved across the EU, with the number of fatal accidents down by as much as 16% since 2010. Unfortunately, this positive trend does not apply to all Member States, including Poland.

In view of the above:

1. What resources is the Commission investing in the promotion of road safety?
2. What action does the Commission intend to take to promote road safety in the future, especially in countries where the number of accidents has not fallen?
3. Will the Commission conduct a more thorough assessment of the causes of the varying rates at which road safety is improving across the different Member States?

Answer given by Ms Bulc on behalf of the Commission

1. The Commission's actions are intended to contribute to road safety improvements in all countries but particularly in those with poor road safety results. The Commission continues to invest significant resources in reducing the number of road accidents, together with the Member States. Some examples are the promotion of national action plans, the exchange of best practices (for example through initiatives like the European Road Safety Charter) and analyses and comparisons of country road safety performances, but also concrete measures on vehicles and infrastructure.
2. The Commission is committed to carrying out and reinforcing its actions in road safety where there is clear EU added value. Major initiatives that are being prepared include an update of EU vehicle safety rules and a revision of the Directives on infrastructure and tunnel safety. The Commission is also preparing a new strategic framework for the period 2020-2030, which will serve as an umbrella for a number of new initiatives.
3. The Commission closely monitors the correct implementation of European road safety legislation and the development of road safety results in all Member States. It works closely with experts from all Member States to investigate causes for variations. The gap in Member States' road safety performance is steadily narrowing.