DUBLIN, IRELAND, APRIL 6 2004 -- Esso in Europe was one of 39 companies and associations to sign the European Union's Road Safety Charter at the Dublin Castle. David J. Busby, Customer Service Manager Europe, signed the Charter on behalf of Esso.  

The event was organised by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Transport and Energy. In 2003, the European Commission set a goal of decreasing the number of deaths on European roads by 50 per cent by 2010.  Support for the European Commission’s initiative was expressed by Mr. Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, Mr. Ari Vatanen, Member of the European Parliament, Ms Loyola de Palacio, Vice-President of the European Commission and Mr. Michael Schumacher, a Formula 1 rally driver.


BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, JANUARY 29 2004 -- ESSO in Europe announced its commitment to signing the European Union's Road Safety Charter at the Charter launch event in the European Commission in Brussels on January 29. “The decision to sign the Road Safety Charter came naturally to us,” said Jacen Jacobsen, Fuels Marketing Fleet Manager Europe. “This is because the Charter's principles closely correspond with ESSO's own safety principles. They mirror the way we approach safety within our company and reflect our motto: Nobody Gets Hurt.'" Jacobsen made his remarks to a packed audience of 200 representatives from the European institutions, business, trade associations and the press.

The event was hosted by Commissioner Loyola de Palacio with participation from Finnish MEP and rally driver Ari Vatanen MEP and Irish Transport Minister Seamus Brennan, representing the Council Presidency. Commissioner de Palacio showed for the first time the Commission label which signatories of the Charter may use to promote their actions.

The Charter’s goal is to decrease the number of deaths on European roads by 50% by 2010 which Esso believes is challenging, but realistic.  Under the framework of the Charter, ESSO plans to undertake a number of activities in the area of delivery vehicle safety. It will continue careful selection of truck companies as partners. It will introduce even more stringent requirements for its own truck drivers and for contractor drivers to undergo regular and extensive defensive training courses. To reinforce its safety messages to general public, ESSO will launch Seatbelt Awareness campaigns, capitalizing on a worldwide seat belt campaign that it ran at its retail stations in 2002.

"Today, we are proud to support the efforts of the EU, as they endeavour to save lives on the roads of Europe," said Jacobsen, "As a signatory of the Road Safety Charter, we want to share our experiences and accept the challenge of setting the ultimate goal of zero accidents and zero fatalities."

Irish Transport Minister Brennan invited signatories to the first public signing event of the Charter on 6 April 2004 in Dublin, during the World Road Safety Week. “Esso would be delighted to participate in this event” said Jacobsen.

Five other organisations presented their commitment to sign the Charter. They were the companies Scania and ARRIVA, and three European trade associations in the mobility, tourism/automobile and insurance sector.