AIT-FIA signs European Road Safety Charter

Publication date: 06 April 2004

Hosted by Minister Seamus Brennan from the Irish Presidency, the first Official Signing Event of the European Road Safety Charter took place in Dublin Castle today.  In the presence of European transport ministers and European Commission Vice-President, Loyola de Palacio, Jean Meyer from the AIT-FIA Eurocouncil (picture) was one of the first signatories. Among the other 38 companies and associations signing the Charter were also six automobile clubs: UAMK, ADAC, RACC, SATC, AvD and AA Ireland.

jean_meyer2.jpg (326 KB)

The first signatories and their commitments were presented by Mr Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, Mr David Ward, Director General of FIA Foundation, and Mr Ari Vatanen, MEP and figurehead of the Charter. Formula One World Racing Champion Michael Schumacher attended the event.

Through signing the Charter, the signatories commited themselves in public to undertake concrete action for road safety. The Charter contains a common part outlining the Commission's target and an individual commitment made by each signatory.

The AIT-FIA commitments are as follows:
1) To motivate all member organisations in the European Union to sign the European Road Safety Charter within the next two years;
2) To support and promote national road safety campaigns by our member organisations and their efforts to spread the message of road safety and the Charter into their societies. In particular, this will focus on the new Member States of the EU, where member organisations will be motivated to organise national Charter signing events;
3) To organise a road safety workshop in 2004 for our member organisations from the new Member States of the EU.

Background:
Announced in 2003 in the European Road Safety Action Programme, the purpose of the Charter is to integrate civil society in the endeavour to reach the EU target of halving the number of road deaths by 2010.

com2003_311_road_safety_action_programme.pdf (450 KB)

More information:
Official website: European Road Safety Charter
http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/roadsafety/charter.htm

Related News Items:
- Commission to launch Road Safety Charter (16 January 2004)
- Speech of Jean Meyer at Launch of Road Safety Charter (29 January 2004)