Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-05-25-Speech-3-182"
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"en.20050525.19.3-182"2
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".
Madam President, Commissioner, I wish to thank all those fellow MEPs of mine who have been involved in these matters and, in particular, the matter for which I myself am responsible, namely bull bars. These two reports are important because they are about ensuring that vehicles in Europe are improved. This is an area in which we can genuinely do something at European level because vehicles are sold throughout Europe and not only within individual countries. European measures are therefore required.
Bull bars, which are my area of responsibility, are dangerous at present, especially in urban areas if a child, pedestrian or cyclist is collided with. That is why this matter has come to the fore. Why do we need legislation? There is an agreement between Japanese, European and Korean car manufacturers not to fit rigid bull bars. That agreement is not enough, however. Firstly, it does not apply to bull bars in the aftermarket, that is to say those that are fitted subsequently to cars. Nor does it define what is meant by rigid bull bars. We must therefore have tests.
The procedure involving a directive creates legal certainty, then, both for the motor trade and for manufacturers of accessories. Everyone will know what applies when we obtain this directive. Why, then, should we not completely ban bull bars? Discussions along those lines are of course being conducted in a number of countries. Bull bars can be valuable in wild landscapes. We no longer have very much in the way of wilderness, but bull bars can be of value in such landscapes, and it is of course for just such conditions that they are intended. They are of no value in cities, however. We do not wish to ban them completely because they can, in actual fact, make the fronts of cars softer and therefore safer. What is more, I am convinced that we should not have the support of the European public if we were completely to ban all bull bars at European level.
Britain’s Transport Research Laboratory
(TRL) has published a report that in actual fact shows that what are known as smart bars
do exist, that is to say bull bars or frontal protection systems that are flexible and that also protect pedestrians in collisions with cars equipped with this type of frontal protection system.
In the committee, we looked, of course, at the Commission’s proposal, debated it and, in time, had an informal tripartite discussion with a view to reaching agreement. We have of course heard the Commissioner comment on the matter and say that he is satisfied with the informal tripartite discussion. During the discussions, we said something that was controversial but on which we eventually agreed and compromised, namely that, in our view, the four tests proposed by the Commission to begin with were too far
reaching. Our view was based on our knowledge that rapid technological development was taking place whereby we may perhaps, in the future, devise new forms of bull bar and frontal protection systems, as well as new tests. That is why the tests we initially propose will be rather less stringent than those originally proposed by the Commission. In this area, we are now in complete agreement with the Commission, however. After a number of years, the Commission will, moreover, review the technical regulations and other tests that might be used.
The directive applies to the new bull bars of the future, both those already in place on cars and those that are fitted subsequently. They are to be approved as part of a type
approval procedure. Broadly speaking, this means a type approval as from a certain date for those frontal protection systems that comply with the new requirements and which, alone, it will be permitted to market. Bull bars put on the market before the date concerned come under the responsibility of the Member States. Specifically on this issue of the old bull bars on the market, we have together proposed a new article of legislation whereby the Member States would be allowed to decide what they wanted to do with these. This is something on which we now have an agreement, a fact I am extremely pleased about. This is an important road safety measure, and I would thank everyone for their work and for the agreement we have reached.
Finally, another subject that I think is very important and that was dealt with in the Koch and Costa reports: that of seat belts in buses and in vehicles other than cars. I agree with what the Commissioner and Mrs Sommer said. I wish to emphasise that it is important for everyone that we obtain, and use, seat belts in buses. Seat belts in buses are of benefit to me if I make use of mine; but they are also of benefit to me if my neighbours use theirs. Anyone who, in a bus accident, does not have their seat belt fastened, with the result that they are thrown around the bus, will also injure their fellow passengers. That is something we do not often think about, which is why it is important for us now to obtain this directive whereby seat belts must be fitted in buses and lorries too. We must have them in all vehicles, and they must be used."@en1
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