EUROPA - Transport - European Road Safety Charter

Welcome

The European Road Safety Charter is an appeal and a driving force for all civil society organisations to provide a tangible contribution to increasing road safety in Europe. It is a forum and a platform for the signatories to exchange experiences and new ideas – across national borders – in their efforts towards greater safety on European roads. It is a manifestation of the responsibility that all stakeholders assume in order to achieve the common goal: halving the number of traffic fatalities by 2010. Read more

If you haven’t signed up for the European Road Safety Charter yet, we invite you to send us your commitment as soon as possible!

NEWS!

European Road Safety Charter Summer Contest

A Danish transport company on the path towards road safety

The H.P. Therkelsen road safety dayfocused on driving abilities and driving behaviour to achieve improved road safety education and team spirit. In the picture, health test for one of the 220 employees of H.P.Therkelsen to ensure fitness and driving ability.

France: coming together for road safety

The European Road Safety Charter presentation and signing ceremony, was a huge success, making it possible to take stock of the road safety situation in France and the European Union. In the picture, Isabelle Kardacz, Head of the Road Safety Unit at the European Commission Directorate General for Energy and Transport, and Cécile Petit, Interministerial Road Safety Delegate.

Take a look at the latest Slovenian commitments in brief.

European Road Safety Charter meeting in France: mobilisation by civil society

The start of the French presidency of the European Union sees a focus on road safety, with the presentation of the European Road Safety Charter and signing ceremony on Wednesday 2 July 2008 in Paris, in the presence of Isabelle Kardacz, Road Safety Manager at the Directorate General for Energy and Transport, and Cécile Petit, Road Safety Interministerial Delegate.

Slovenia: Making decisive steps to improve road safety

15 new Slovenian signatories from a broad range of sectors signed the European Road Safety Charter at an event in Ljubljana on June 26th. This brings the total number of Slovenian Charter signatories to 30, doubling the previous figure. Each new signatory has pledged a unique and decisive commitment to helping save 25,000 lives on Europe’s Roads by 2010.

Slovenia: Sets its sights on saving more lives on the roads

At the culmination of its European Union Presidency, Slovenia continues to confront the challenge of improving safety on its roads. Throughout its Presidency, Slovenia has supported the goal set by the European Commission to lower the number of killed on Europe’s roads by 50% by 2010, thereby playing its part in/saving 25,000 lives.

The European Road Safety Charter in Portugal: Making road safety a priority

25 new Portuguese signatories including 12 civil governments signed the European Road Safety Charter at an event in Lisbon on June 20th. This brings the total number of Portuguese Charter signatories to 49, each pledging their commitment to helping save 25,000 lives on Europe’s Roads by 2010.
In the picture, new signatories of the European Road Safety Charter. They represented Portuguese associations and companies at the Lisbon signing event, on 20th June.

Portugal: Well on the way to safer roads

The European Road Safety Charter now looks to Lisbon. On June 20th 2008, a presentation and commitments signing event will be held at the Auditório da Representação da Comissão Europeia, which will be attended by Mr. Rui Carlos Pereira, Minister for Internal Administration.

A Catalan nightclub signs the European Road Safety Charter and launches a prevention campaign for young people

Sala Metro, a major Catalan nightclub, signed the European Road Safety Charter in April and launched an ambitious prevention campaign targeting approximately 3,000 young people who go to the club every weekend. In Europe, young people between 16 and 29 years old account for 31, 5 per cent of road fatalities.

In early May 2008, TV3, which forms part of the Catalan public broadcasting network, broadcast aninterview with Xavier Fornés, the director of Sala Metro, who highlighted the prevention work being carried out.

Devin AD has launched a road safety campaign to reach 1 million people in Bulgaria

In early February 2008, Devin AD launched a national safety campaign as part of its commitment to the European Road Safety Charter in Bulgaria.

Devin has placed hangers on family bottles of mineral and spring water throughout the entire trade network in Bulgaria. The hangers are a means of communication to reach more than one million people.

The European Road Safety Charter in Greece : a shift in attitude

The European Road Safety Charter continued its launch tour in key European cities, with a presentation in Athens on 20 February 2008. The signing event, supported by the European Commission Representation in Greece and the Greek Ministry of Transport and Communications, took place at the Office of the European Parliament for Greece . Mr Papadopoulos, the Head of the European Commission Representation in Greece , welcomed the participants and introduced the road safety event. Mr Chatzidakis, the Greek Minister of Transport and Communications, then gave an overview of the road safety situation in Greece , pointing out that Greece is one of the European countries with the worst records in terms of road fatalities. On the occasion of this ceremony, 14 new signatories joined the community in action.

We now have one thousand members! This indicates strong social commitment.

On the occasion of the presentation of the Excellence in Road Safety Awards, Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission, the Commissaire in charge of transport, reviewed the European Road Safety Charter.

What is the basis of the European Road Safety Charter?

"Its objective is to save 25,000 lives a year by 2010. Its concept, that of shared responsibility, is original: efforts to limit the number of victims are made through collective awareness and commitment on the part of civil society. The added value of the charter lies in the variety of commitments undertaken, particularly in the two new Member States , Bulgaria and Romania , which contribute innovative solutions to the problems of road safety."

In your opinion, what significant achievements have been made by the European Road Safety Charter since its creation in 2004?

"The number of signatories has increased greatly: we now have one thousand members! This indicates strong social commitment. We wanted to trigger awareness as to the importance of the issue of road safety, and this objective has been achieved."

European road safety charter contest – 2007: Become a European road safety charter ambassador
Out of more than 615 participations received, 20 best experiences or proposals for promoting road safety has been selected.
The 20 winners of the 2007 edition are...

The European Road Safety Charter Excellence in Road Safety Awards were presented by Mr Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission, in Brussels on 26 November 2007

Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission, the Commissaire in charge of Transport, presided at the second Excellence in Road Safety Awards ceremony on 26 November 2007 in Brussels, recognising the seven most innovative and successful initiatives undertaken by European Road Safety Charter signatories..

Seven exemplary award-winners

To see an extract video of the Excellence in Road Safety Awards Ceremony 2006, click here.

Summer Contest: thank you for your huge participation
The contest is now closed. We should like to thank the many participants who responded! A total of 616 participants from 19 EU countries sent in their contributions to enhance road safety, establishing a record in terms of participation, but also European representation and, of course, creativity. The names of the winners, who will be chosen by a jury made up of European Commission members, will be announced before the end of December.

31 new members sign the European Road Safety Charter at the signing event in Crotone (Italy) on 4 October 2007
The European Road Safety Charter signing event, chaired by Sergio Iritale, President of the Province of Crotone, Melchiorre Fallica, Prefect of Crotone, and Daniele Faccincani, representing the European Commission Charter Team, was held on 4 October in Crotone (Italy).

POLIS signing ceremony: an indisputable success
An important signing ceremony organised jointly by the European Commission and POLIS took place on 23 October in Brussels.
POLIS brings together major European cities and regions, which have worked together since 1989 to develop innovative local transport policies. The involvement of this network in the European Road Safety Charter for the second year running confirms the quality of the commitment of these cities and regions to road safety in Europe.
The event was attended by an unprecedented number of participants from 25 cities and regions of the European Union. This excellent participation highlights the increasing importance of the ERSC for cities as a pragmatic platform for action and exchange on road safety in Europe.

The European Road Safety Charter in the Czech Republic
The European Road Safety Charter continued its launch tour in key European cities, with a presentation in Prague on 27 September.

The signing event, supported by the ministry of transport, took place at the European Commission headquarters in the Czech Republic.
Mrs Irena Moozová, the head of the EC Representation, welcomed the participants, and went on to emphasise the originality of the initiative.

The European Road Safety Charter in Bulgaria: Joint efforts and shared responsibility

The European Road Safety Charter continued its launch tour in key European cities, with a presentation in Sofia on 12 September. The signing event, supported by the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Transport and the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, took place at the EC Representation in Sofia.