THE European Commission has launched its Road Safety Charter and is now seeking support from car manufacturers and transport companies.

It is part of the commission's aim to halve the number of road deaths across Europe by 2010 and was launched by vice-president and transport commissioner Loyola de Palacio.

De Palacio said: 'I would like to call on all stakeholders to join our efforts and contribute to saving 20,000 lives on European roads. Road safety is a shared responsibility.'

The EU said a number of companies and organisations had pledged their commitment and that some transport companies had proposed making road safety an element of their contracts