COM(2003)311 - European road safety action programme - Halving the number of road accident victims in the EU by 2010: a shared responsibility

official title

 

Legal instrument	Communication
Decision making procedure	Own-initiative procedure (INI)
reference by COM-number115	COM(2003)311
Additional COM-numbers	COM(2003)311
procedure number117	2004/2162(INI)
CELEX number118	52003DC0311

This page is also available in a full version containing the latest state of affairs, the summary of the European Parliament Legislative Observatory, the legal context, other dossiers related to the dossier at hand, the stakeholders involved (e.g. European Commission directorates-general, European Parliament committees, Council configurations and even individual EU Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament) and finally documents of the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission.

• 1. 

  European transport policy for 2010: Time to decide (COM(2001) 370 final, 12 September 2001).
  
   
• 2. 

  Article 71 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.
  
   
• 3. 

  European transport policy for 2010: Time to decide (COM(2001) 370 final, 12 September 2001).
  
   
• 4. 

  Council Resolution of 26 June 2000 on the improvement of road safety (OJ C 218, 31.7.2000, p.1); European Parliament Resolution of 18 January 2001 on road safety (Hedkvist-Petersen Report, OJ C 262, 18.9.2001, p.236).
  
   
• 5. 

  See paragraph 2.1 below.
  
   
• 6. 

  About 10 000 killed each year - fatal injuries on the roads are the main cause of death in this age group.
  
   
• 7. 

  In the European Union, pedestrians, cyclists, and moped and motorcycle riders account for more than a third of people killed on the roads: 7061 pedestrians, 3673 motorcycle riders, 2477 moped riders and 1818 cyclists in 2000 (Sources: CARE and national publications). The number of motorcycle riders killed is increasing in some Member States.
  
   
• 8. 

  The risk of serious or fatal injuries in the event of an accident in particularly high in the case of the elderly, and the ageing population over the next decade needs to be considered.
  
   
• 9. 

  The text of the European Road Safety Charter is given in Annex 2.
  
   
• 10. 

  On the 'Europa' website.
  
   
• 11. 

  In accordance with European Parliament and Council Decision 1692/96/EC of the of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (OJ L 228, 9.9.1996, p.1).
  
   
• 12. 

  See Chapter 5 below.
  
   
• 13. 

  See paragraph 5.2.2 below.
  
   
• 14. 

  Council Decision No 93/704/EC of 30 November 1993 on the creation of a Community database on road accidents (OJ L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 63).
  
   
• 15. 

  For example, the GADGET and ESCAPE projects.
  
   
• 16. 

  The latter proposal will concern the amendment of Council Directive 88/599/EEC on standard checking procedures for the application of Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport and Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport.
  
   
• 17. 

  Council Act of 17 June 1998 drawing up the Convention on Driving Disqualifications (OJ C 216, 10.7.1998, p.1). To date, only one Member State (Spain) has signed and ratified the Convention.
  
   
• 18. 

  ROSITA project - Evaluation of roadside oral fluid tests for the detection of drivers under the influence of drugs
  
   
• 19. 

  Commission Directive 2000/56/EC of 14 September 2000 amending Council Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences (OJ L 237, 21.9.2000, p.45).
  
   
• 20. 

  DAN, ADVANCED and NOV-EN projects.
  
   
• 21. 

  ANDREA project.
  
   
• 22. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 96/27/EC and Directive 96/79/EC of 20 May 1996 and 16 December 1996 on the protection of occupants of motor vehicles in the event of a side and front impact and amending Directive 70/156/EEC (OJ L 169, 8.7.1996, p.1 and OJ L 18, 21.1.1997, p.7).
  
   
• 23. 

  Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions
   
• 24. 

  'Quality Criteria for the Safety Assessment of Cars Based on Real-World Crashes' (SARAC).
  
   
• 25. 

  European Enhanced Vehicle Safety Committee, which receives Community funding.
  
   
• 26. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/20/EC of 8 April 2003, amending European Parliament and Council Directive 91/671/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to compulsory use of safety belts in vehicles of less than 3.5 tonnes (OJ L 115, 9.5.2003, p.63). The title of Directive 91/671/CEE as amended now reads as follows 'on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to compulsory use of safety belts and child restraint systems in vehicles'.
  
   
• 27. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive relating to the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle and amending Directive 70/156/EEC (COM(2003) 67 final, 19.2.2003).
  
   
• 28. 

  Council Directive 70/221/EEC of 20 March 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to liquid fuel tanks and rear protective devices for motor vehicles and their trailers (OJ L 76, 6.4.1970, p.23), as last amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/8/EC of 20 March 2000 (OJ L 106, 3.5.2000, p.23); Council Directive 89/297/EEC of 13 April 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the lateral protection (side guards) of certain motor vehicles and their trailers (OJ L 124, 5.5.1989, p.1); European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/40/EC of 26 June 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the front underrun protection of motor vehicles and amending Council Directive 70/156/EEC (OJ L 203, 10.8.2000, p.9).
  
   
• 29. 

  For further information, please consult the following website. www.eu.int/information_society/programmes/esafety
  
   
• 30. 

  Such as speed limiting and warning devices, including Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) systems; collision alert devices and lane support systems; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); intersection detection devices.
  
   
• 31. 

  Commission Recommendation 2000/53/EC of 21 December 1999 on safe and efficient in-vehicle information and communication systems: A European statement of principles on human machine interface
   
• 32. 

  See, for example the study 'Telefonieren am Steuer und Verkehrssicherheit' (Telephoning at the wheel and traffic safety) (Bundesanstalt für Strassenwesen
   
• 33. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of mirrors and supplementary systems for indirect vision and of vehicles equipped with these devices and amending Directive 71/156/EEC
   
• 34. 

  Council Directive 97/26/EC of 2 June 1997 amending Directive 91/439/EEC on the driving licence (OJ L 150, 7.6.1997, p.41). The list in question was amended by Commission Directive 2000/56/EC of 14 September 2000 (OJ L 237, 21.9.2000, p.45).
  
   
• 35. 

  Council Directive 96/96/EC of 20 December 1996 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers (OJ L 46, 17.2.1997, p.1) last adapted to technical progress by Commission Directive 2001/9/EC of 12 February 2001 (OJ L 48, 17.2.2001, p. 18); European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/30/EC of 6 June 2000 on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Community (OJ L 203,10.8.2000, p.1).
  
   
• 36. 

  Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform conditions for periodical technical inspections of wheeled vehicles and the reciprocal recognition of such inspections, done at Vienna on 13 November 1997 (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)
  
   
• 37. 

  European Parliament and Council Decision 1692/96/EC of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (OJ L 228, 9.9.1996, p.1).
  
   
• 38. 

  COM(2002) 769 final, 30.12.2002.
  
   
• 39. 

  Commission Recommendation of 4 July 2001 on the development of a legal and business framework for participation of the private sector in deploying telematics-based traffic and travel information (TTI) services in Europe (OJ L 199, 24.7.2001, p. 20).
  
   
• 40. 

  Proposition for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the widespread introduction and interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the Community (COM(2003) 132 final, 23.4.2003)
  
   
• 41. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/85/EC of 5 November 2002 amending Council Directive 92/6/EEC on the installation and use of speed-limitation devices for certain categories of motor vehicles in the Community (OJ L 327, 4.12.2002, p.8). The earlier Directive only concerned heavy goods vehicles over 12 tonnes and coaches over 10 tonnes.
  
   
• 42. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/20/EC (already mentioned in paragraph 5.2.3).
  
   
• 43. 

  Not urban buses.
  
   
• 44. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the training of professional drivers for the carriage of goods or passengers by road
   
• 45. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport
   
• 46. 

  Working time is governed by Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 (OJ L 307, 13.12.1993) as amended by Directive 2000/34/EC of 22 June 2000 (OJ L 195, 1.8.2000, p.41), and supplemented by the European Parliament and Council sectoral Directive 2002/15/EC of 11 March 2002 (OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, p. 35
  
   
• 47. 

  Council Regulation (EC) No 2135/98 of 24 September 1998 amending Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport and Directive 88/599/EEC concerning the application of Regulations (EEC) No 3820/85 and (EEC) No 3821/85 (OJ L 274, 9.10.98, p. 1); Commission Regulation (EC) No 1360/2002 of 13 June 2002 adapting to technical progress for the seventh time Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport (OJ L 207, 5.8.2002, p. 1)
  
   
• 48. 

  Namely transport operations derogating from the obligations arising from Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic (OJ L 235, 17.9.1996 p.59)
  
   
• 49. 

  New electronic communication package made up of European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/21/EC of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive) and European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/22/EC of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks and services (Universal Service Directive) (OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p.33).
  
   
• 50. 

  Council Directive 94/56/EC of 21 November 1994 establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of civil aviation accidents and incidents (OJ L 319, 12.12.1994, p.14) is a model for other modes of transport. It lays down the fundamental principles governing civil aviation accident and incident investigations. In addition, in December 2000 the Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive on civil aviation occurrence reporting. Supplementing the current Community legislation, this proposal concerns the analysis of incidents, occurrences which are generally precursors of accidents.
  
   
• 51. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2001/12/EC of 26 February 2001 amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways, which is part of the rail package adopted in December 2000, requires the Member States to take steps to ensure that investigations are systematically carried out in the event of accidents. In 2001 the Commission submitted a proposal for a Directive on railway safety (COM(2002)21 final, OJ C 126E, 28.5.2002, p.332) requiring the Member States to establish, at national level, completely independent bodies responsible for carrying out accident investigations. A cooperation mechanism at Community level will be established, possibly in the context of the future Railway Safety Agency.
  
   
• 52. 

  Council Directive 1999/35/EC of 29 April 1999 on a system of mandatory surveys for the safe operation of regular ro-ro ferries and high-speed passenger craft services (OJ L 138, 1.6.1999, p.1)requires, from 1 December 2000, the carrying-out of an objective accident survey for all such ferries and craft operating to or from Community ports. By 2004 the Commission intends to propose a harmonised system for all accidents at sea.
  
   
• 53. 

  There is also the BICAR data base managed by the OCDE, but only aggregated data is available.
  
   
• 54. 

  europa.eu.int/comm/transport/home/ care/index_en.htm
  
   
• 55. 

  ASTERYX project.
  
   
• 56. 

  PENDANT project.
  
   
• 57. 

  STAIRS (4th Framework Programme).
  
   
• 58. 

  European transport policy for 2010: Time to decide (COM(2001) 370 final, 12 September 2001).
  
   
• 59. 

  Article 71 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.
  
   
• 60. 

  European transport policy for 2010: Time to decide (COM(2001) 370 final, 12 September 2001).
  
   
• 61. 

  Council Resolution of 26 June 2000 on the improvement of road safety (OJ C 218, 31.7.2000, p.1); European Parliament Resolution of 18 January 2001 on road safety (Hedkvist-Petersen Report, OJ C 262, 18.9.2001, p.236).
  
   
• 62. 

  See paragraph 2.1 below.
  
   
• 63. 

  About 10 000 killed each year - fatal injuries on the roads are the main cause of death in this age group.
  
   
• 64. 

  In the European Union, pedestrians, cyclists, and moped and motorcycle riders account for more than a third of people killed on the roads: 7061 pedestrians, 3673 motorcycle riders, 2477 moped riders and 1818 cyclists in 2000 (Sources: CARE and national publications). The number of motorcycle riders killed is increasing in some Member States.
  
   
• 65. 

  The risk of serious or fatal injuries in the event of an accident in particularly high in the case of the elderly, and the ageing population over the next decade needs to be considered.
  
   
• 66. 

  The text of the European Road Safety Charter is given in Annex 2.
  
   
• 67. 

  On the 'Europa' website.
  
   
• 68. 

  In accordance with European Parliament and Council Decision 1692/96/EC of the of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (OJ L 228, 9.9.1996, p.1).
  
   
• 69. 

  See Chapter 5 below.
  
   
• 70. 

  See paragraph 5.2.2 below.
  
   
• 71. 

  Council Decision No 93/704/EC of 30 November 1993 on the creation of a Community database on road accidents (OJ L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 63).
  
   
• 72. 

  For example, the GADGET and ESCAPE projects.
  
   
• 73. 

  The latter proposal will concern the amendment of Council Directive 88/599/EEC on standard checking procedures for the application of Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport and Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport.
  
   
• 74. 

  Council Act of 17 June 1998 drawing up the Convention on Driving Disqualifications (OJ C 216, 10.7.1998, p.1). To date, only one Member State (Spain) has signed and ratified the Convention.
  
   
• 75. 

  ROSITA project - Evaluation of roadside oral fluid tests for the detection of drivers under the influence of drugs
  
   
• 76. 

  Commission Directive 2000/56/EC of 14 September 2000 amending Council Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences (OJ L 237, 21.9.2000, p.45).
  
   
• 77. 

  DAN, ADVANCED and NOV-EN projects.
  
   
• 78. 

  ANDREA project.
  
   
• 79. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 96/27/EC and Directive 96/79/EC of 20 May 1996 and 16 December 1996 on the protection of occupants of motor vehicles in the event of a side and front impact and amending Directive 70/156/EEC (OJ L 169, 8.7.1996, p.1 and OJ L 18, 21.1.1997, p.7).
  
   
• 80. 

  Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform technical prescriptions for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted to and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these prescriptions
   
• 81. 

  'Quality Criteria for the Safety Assessment of Cars Based on Real-World Crashes' (SARAC).
  
   
• 82. 

  European Enhanced Vehicle Safety Committee, which receives Community funding.
  
   
• 83. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/20/EC of 8 April 2003, amending European Parliament and Council Directive 91/671/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to compulsory use of safety belts in vehicles of less than 3.5 tonnes (OJ L 115, 9.5.2003, p.63). The title of Directive 91/671/CEE as amended now reads as follows 'on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to compulsory use of safety belts and child restraint systems in vehicles'.
  
   
• 84. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive relating to the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle and amending Directive 70/156/EEC (COM(2003) 67 final, 19.2.2003).
  
   
• 85. 

  Council Directive 70/221/EEC of 20 March 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to liquid fuel tanks and rear protective devices for motor vehicles and their trailers (OJ L 76, 6.4.1970, p.23), as last amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/8/EC of 20 March 2000 (OJ L 106, 3.5.2000, p.23); Council Directive 89/297/EEC of 13 April 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the lateral protection (side guards) of certain motor vehicles and their trailers (OJ L 124, 5.5.1989, p.1); European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/40/EC of 26 June 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the front underrun protection of motor vehicles and amending Council Directive 70/156/EEC (OJ L 203, 10.8.2000, p.9).
  
   
• 86. 

  For further information, please consult the following website. www.eu.int/information_society/programmes/esafety
  
   
• 87. 

  Such as speed limiting and warning devices, including Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) systems; collision alert devices and lane support systems; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); intersection detection devices.
  
   
• 88. 

  Commission Recommendation 2000/53/EC of 21 December 1999 on safe and efficient in-vehicle information and communication systems: A European statement of principles on human machine interface
   
• 89. 

  See, for example the study 'Telefonieren am Steuer und Verkehrssicherheit' (Telephoning at the wheel and traffic safety) (Bundesanstalt für Strassenwesen
   
• 90. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the type-approval of mirrors and supplementary systems for indirect vision and of vehicles equipped with these devices and amending Directive 71/156/EEC
   
• 91. 

  Council Directive 97/26/EC of 2 June 1997 amending Directive 91/439/EEC on the driving licence (OJ L 150, 7.6.1997, p.41). The list in question was amended by Commission Directive 2000/56/EC of 14 September 2000 (OJ L 237, 21.9.2000, p.45).
  
   
• 92. 

  Council Directive 96/96/EC of 20 December 1996 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers (OJ L 46, 17.2.1997, p.1) last adapted to technical progress by Commission Directive 2001/9/EC of 12 February 2001 (OJ L 48, 17.2.2001, p. 18); European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/30/EC of 6 June 2000 on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Community (OJ L 203,10.8.2000, p.1).
  
   
• 93. 

  Agreement concerning the adoption of uniform conditions for periodical technical inspections of wheeled vehicles and the reciprocal recognition of such inspections, done at Vienna on 13 November 1997 (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)
  
   
• 94. 

  European Parliament and Council Decision 1692/96/EC of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (OJ L 228, 9.9.1996, p.1).
  
   
• 95. 

  COM(2002) 769 final, 30.12.2002.
  
   
• 96. 

  Commission Recommendation of 4 July 2001 on the development of a legal and business framework for participation of the private sector in deploying telematics-based traffic and travel information (TTI) services in Europe (OJ L 199, 24.7.2001, p. 20).
  
   
• 97. 

  Proposition for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the widespread introduction and interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the Community (COM(2003) 132 final, 23.4.2003)
  
   
• 98. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/85/EC of 5 November 2002 amending Council Directive 92/6/EEC on the installation and use of speed-limitation devices for certain categories of motor vehicles in the Community (OJ L 327, 4.12.2002, p.8). The earlier Directive only concerned heavy goods vehicles over 12 tonnes and coaches over 10 tonnes.
  
   
• 99. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/20/EC (already mentioned in paragraph 5.2.3).
  
   
• 100. 

  Not urban buses.
  
   
• 101. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the training of professional drivers for the carriage of goods or passengers by road
   
• 102. 

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport
   
• 103. 

  Working time is governed by Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 (OJ L 307, 13.12.1993) as amended by Directive 2000/34/EC of 22 June 2000 (OJ L 195, 1.8.2000, p.41), and supplemented by the European Parliament and Council sectoral Directive 2002/15/EC of 11 March 2002 (OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, p. 35
  
   
• 104. 

  Council Regulation (EC) No 2135/98 of 24 September 1998 amending Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport and Directive 88/599/EEC concerning the application of Regulations (EEC) No 3820/85 and (EEC) No 3821/85 (OJ L 274, 9.10.98, p.
  
  1); Commission Regulation (EC) No 1360/2002 of 13 June 2002 adapting to technical progress for the seventh time Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport (OJ L 207, 5.8.2002, p.
  
  1)
  
   
• 105. 

  Namely transport operations derogating from the obligations arising from Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic (OJ L 235, 17.9.1996 p.59)
  
   
• 106. 

  New electronic communication package made up of European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/21/EC of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive) and European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/22/EC of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks and services (Universal Service Directive) (OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p.33).
  
   
• 107. 

  Council Directive 94/56/EC of 21 November 1994 establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of civil aviation accidents and incidents (OJ L 319, 12.12.1994, p.14) is a model for other modes of transport. It lays down the fundamental principles governing civil aviation accident and incident investigations. In addition, in December 2000 the Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive on civil aviation occurrence reporting. Supplementing the current Community legislation, this proposal concerns the analysis of incidents, occurrences which are generally precursors of accidents.
  
   
• 108. 

  European Parliament and Council Directive 2001/12/EC of 26 February 2001 amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways, which is part of the rail package adopted in December 2000, requires the Member States to take steps to ensure that investigations are systematically carried out in the event of accidents. In 2001 the Commission submitted a proposal for a Directive on railway safety (COM(2002)21 final, OJ C 126E, 28.5.2002, p.332) requiring the Member States to establish, at national level, completely independent bodies responsible for carrying out accident investigations. A cooperation mechanism at Community level will be established, possibly in the context of the future Railway Safety Agency.
  
   
• 109. 

  Council Directive 1999/35/EC of 29 April 1999 on a system of mandatory surveys for the safe operation of regular ro-ro ferries and high-speed passenger craft services (OJ L 138, 1.6.1999, p.1)requires, from 1 December 2000, the carrying-out of an objective accident survey for all such ferries and craft operating to or from Community ports. By 2004 the Commission intends to propose a harmonised system for all accidents at sea.
  
   
• 110. 

  There is also the BICAR data base managed by the OCDE, but only aggregated data is available.
  
   
• 111. 

  europa.eu.int/comm/transport/home/ care/index_en.htm
  
   
• 112. 

  ASTERYX project.
  
   
• 113. 

  PENDANT project.
  
   
• 114. 

  STAIRS (4th Framework Programme).
  
   
• 115. 

  De Europese Commissie kent nummers toe aan officiële documenten van de Europese Unie. De Commissie maakt onderscheid in een aantal typen documenten door middel van het toekennen van verschillende nummerseries. Het onderscheid is gebaseerd op het soort document en/of de instelling van de Unie van wie het document afkomstig is.
   
• 116. 

  De Raad van de Europese Unie kent aan wetgevingsdossiers een uniek toe. Dit nummer bestaat uit een vijfcijferig volgnummer gevolgd door een schuine streep met de laatste twee cijfers van het jaartal, bijvoorbeeld 12345/00 - een document met nummer 12345 uit het jaar 2000.
   
• 117. 

  Het interinstitutionele nummer is een nummerreeks die binnen de Europese Unie toegekend wordt aan voorstellen voor regelgeving van de Europese Commissie.
  Binnen de Europese Unie worden nog een aantal andere nummerseries gebruikt. Iedere instelling heeft één of meerdere sets documenten met ieder een eigen nummering. Die reeksen komen niet overeen met elkaar of het interinstitutioneel nummer.
   
• 118. 

  Deze databank van de Europese Unie biedt de mogelijkheid de actuele werkzaamheden (workflow) van de Europese instellingen (Europees Parlement, Raad, ESC, Comité van de Regio's, Europese Centrale Bank, Hof van Justitie enz.) te volgen. EURlex volgt alle voorstellen (zoals wetgevende en begrotingsdossiers) en mededelingen van de Commissie, vanaf het moment dat ze aan de Raad of het Europees Parlement worden voorgelegd.
   
• 119. 

  Als dag van bekendmaking van een Europees besluit geldt de dag waarop het besluit in het Publicatieblad wordt bekendgemaakt, en daardoor in alle officiële talen van de Europese Unie bij het Publicatiebureau beschikbaar is.