25.1.2005 Official Journal of the European Union L 21/15 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 17 January 2005 on the harmonisation of the 24 GHz range radio spectrum band for the time-limited use by automotive short-range radar equipment in the Community (notified under document number C(2005) 34) (Text with EEA relevance) (2005/50/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Decision No 676/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a regulatory framework for radio spectrum policy in the European Community (Radio Spectrum Decision) ('), and in particular Article 4(3) thereof, Whereas: (1)  The Commission communication to the Council and the European Parliament of 2 June 2003 on ‘European Road Safety Action Programme — Halving the number of road accident victims in the European Union by 2010: a shared responsibility’ (%) sets out a coherent approach to road safety in the European Union. Furthermore, in its communication to the Council and the European Parliament of 15 September 2003, entitled ‘Information and communications technologies for safe and intelligent vehicles’ (3), the Commission announced its intention to improve road safety in Europe, to be known as the eSafety initiative, by using new information and commu- nications technologies and intelligent road safety systems, such as automotive short-range radar equipment. On 5 December 2003 in its conclusions on road safety (*) the Council also called for the improvement of vehicle safety by the promotion of new technologies such as electronic safety. () O L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 1. () COM(2003) 311. () COM(2003) 542. (*) Conclusions of the Council of the European Union on road safety, 15058/03 TRANS 307. (2)  The rapid and coordinated development and deployment of automotive short-range radar within the Community require a harmonised radio frequency band to be available for this application in the Community without delay and on a stable basis, in order to provide the necessary confidence for industry to make the necessary investments. (3) On 5 August 2003, with a view to such harmonisation, the Commission issued a mandate, pursuant to Article 4(2) of Decision No 676/2002/EC, to the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Adminis- trations (CEPT), to harmonise the radio spectrum and to facilitate a coordinated introduction of automotive short- range radar. (4 As a result of that mandate, the 79 GHz range band has been identified by CEPT as the most suitable band for long term development and deployment of automotive short-range radar, with the introduction of this measure by January 2005 at the latest. The Commission therefore adopted Decision 2004/545/EC of 8 July 2004 on the harmonisation of the radio spectrum in the 79 GHz range for the use of automotive short-range radar equipment in the Community (%). (5)  However, automotive short-range radar technology in the 79 GHz range band is still under development and is not immediately available on a cost-effective basis, although it is understood that the industry will promote the devel- opment of such a technology in order to make it available at the earliest possible date. () O] L 241, 13.7.2004, p. 66.