§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 4 April 2000,Official Report, column 430W, on alcohol limits for drivers in EU member states, what were (a) the nature and conclusions of the Council of Ministers' discussions on 28 March, concerning the Commission Communications, and (b) the Treaty Article on which any such harmonisation proposal would be based. [118840]
§ Mr. HillAt the Transport Council meeting of 28 March 2000, the European Commission presented its recently adopted Communication on road safety. The United Kingdom strongly welcomed the Communication and other member states also responded positively. The Commission indicated that blood alcohol levels would be the subject of a Recommendation. However, the Commission pointed out that the proposal for a Directive which was first presented in 1988 remains on the table if the Council wishes to debate it. It was concluded that there should be a discussion of the Communication at the Council meeting in June.
Any harmonisation proposal would be based on Article 75 of the Treaty of Rome which, as amended by the Maastricht Treaty, covers the competence of the Union to act in the field of road safety.