EU Parliament adopts rules for EU-wide prosecution of traffic violations

The European Parliament voted in Strasbourg on Wednesday in favor of EU states cooperating more closely on fines for traffic violations. Negotiators from the Parliament and the EU member states had previously agreed to strengthen administrative assistance procedures between countries. The EU Council must now adopt the new rules. The EU member states then have 30 months to implement them.

According to the new rules (PDF), the EU country in which the traffic offense was committed has eleven months from the date of the offense to notify the respective road user of the offense. In addition to the date and circumstances of the offense, the notification must include information on how to appeal against the fine. At the initiative of MEPs, private companies will be banned from helping EU countries to collect fines from foreign drivers.

Extended list of traffic violations

A list of traffic offenses that can trigger cross-border proceedings and lead to fines for dangerous driving will also be extended. In addition to speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or running a red light, dangerous parking and dangerous overtaking as well as hit-and-run and disregarding solid lines will also be included in such offenses in the future.

Rapporteur Kosma Złotowski (ECR) explained that the updated rules of the relevant EU directive are intended to help EU countries cooperate better. The drivers concerned would in turn receive information in their own language within a set deadline and about the legal remedies to which they are entitled. The ban on private companies levying fines will protect drivers from fraud and from personal data being leaked.

The EU directive on the electronic exchange of vehicle registration data has been in place since 2015 and was intended to improve the enforcement of traffic offenses in other EU countries. However, according to a report by the EU Parliament, its evaluation has revealed a number of shortcomings. For example, half of the traffic offenses committed by foreign drivers were not investigated and many fines were not enforced. The procedures are too complicated and the EU member states do not support each other enough, according to the evaluation.

(anw)