At least 1,000 lives could be saved by the package of recommended measures

Commission statement

In most EU countries it is illegal to drive with more than 0.5 of a milligram of alcohol per millilitre of blood.

But in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Luxembourg a higher concentration is permitted - 0.8 milligrams.

Now the European Commission would like all countries to adopt what it describes as the best practice of 0.5 milligrams, and even less - just 0.2 - for inexperienced drivers.

Drink driving laws

10 of the EU's 15 countries already fix a 0.5 mg/ml limit In the UK, Ireland, Italy and Luxembourg, the limit is 0.8 mg/ml Sweden has the toughest rules, with a 0.2 mg/ml limit

The Commission has no powers to force national governments to adopt such a measure, so its proposal comes merely in the form of a recommendation.

It hopes this will put pressure on member states to comply.

The Commission issued statistics showing that about 10,000 deaths on the roads - about a quarter of all those killed in road accidents - can be directly attributed to drunk drivers.

In London, a spokesman for the UK Government said it agreed that more had to be done to combat drink driving, but wanted to consider the detail of the Commission's recommendation and sound out the views of other member states.