European Parliament
President.
Question No 10 by Ewa Hedkvist Petersen 
Subject: Drivers under the influence of alcohol
A tragic event recently took place in Sweden when a truck-driver who had just left the ferry in Trelleborg severely under the influence of alcohol drove against the flow of traffic and five people in two oncoming vehicles were killed. Different approaches to alcohol and different blood-alcohol level limits in different European countries make it more difficult to deal with drink-drivers and to prosecute them, especially in the case of cross-border traffic.
In 2001, on a proposal from the Commission, the Council decided to recommend that all Member States introduce a maximum blood-alcohol level of 0.2 promille for professional drivers. The recommendation was adopted instead of a directive on a common upper limit for drivers. Which countries have introduced that upper limit to date? Is the Council of Ministers re-evaluating its recommendation and what is the outcome of the follow-up at Community level provided for in that recommendation?

