Skip to main content

Europe’s cross border enforcement deadline

European road safety targets and casualty reduction plans are to benefit from meeting the 2013 deadline for cross border enforcement. The member states will have to meet the deadline of 7th November 2013 for the Cross Border Enforcement Directive, or risk facing infringement proceedings. The issue is a key one as many drivers commit offences in EU nations other than their own, without having to face penalties. Bureaucracy makes it hard for drivers to face penalties when they return home. In some instances t
May 18, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
European road safety targets and casualty reduction plans are to benefit from meeting the 2013 deadline for cross border enforcement. The member states will have to meet the deadline of 7th November 2013 for the Cross Border Enforcement Directive, or risk facing infringement proceedings. The issue is a key one as many drivers commit offences in EU nations other than their own, without having to face penalties. Bureaucracy makes it hard for drivers to face penalties when they return home.

In some instances there have been comedic notes, with Irish police noting a huge number of speeding offences to one Polish driver, only to realise later that the name they had recorded on their records was the Polish word for driving licence. The aim is that enforcement should treat all European citizens equally, whether or not they are in their home country.

According to the international police association, 4753 TISPOL, the police task of enforcement is undermined when national laws are not respected by visitors. Although there are some bi-lateral and multi-lateral agreements in place, they are frequently unable to deal with the increasingly complex cross-border problems posed by traffic offenders according to TISPOL. Implementing the Cross Border Enforcement Directive will be an essential step to saving lives on Europe's roads and to provide fair treatment for all EU citizens according to TISPOL.

Belgian drivers committing traffic offences in France will be fined in Belgium as part of a new data exchange agreement between the two countries. The agreement, which comes into practice on 1 July, 2012, comes ahead of a new EU directive which will force member states to exchange certain traffic offence data from November 2013. The EU states will be required to provide the name and address of people committing eight specified violations, including speeding.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • India’s IRTE wins top Prince Michael of Kent Safety Award
    July 4, 2019
    India’s Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) was among the international winners at the annual Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards in London. IRTE picked up the Premier Award for its road injury prevention programme and for being a key partner in the Safer Cars for India project established by Global NCAP, an independent certification body that evaluates the safety of vehicles. Part of IRTE’s strategy has been the setting up of what is believed to be Asia’s first Masters of Science i
  • Blip in road safety for Europe?
    July 11, 2023
    Is this a blip in road safety for Europe?
  • Leaner WIM enforcement through new solutions
    December 3, 2013
    Guy Woodford reports on a major new Weigh in Motion system, big WIM solution deals and how a leading firm in the sector is warning UK fleet operators to be aware of how leaner enforcement work is helping authorities detect more overloaded vehicles Kapsch TrafficCom announced its keenly awaited new Weigh in Motion (WIM) solution at this year’s ITS European Congress in Dublin, Ireland. The sector-renowned Austrian firm’s latest solution uses a number of sensors and loops to detect whether the vehicle exceeds
  • Saudi Arabia has to tackle road safety to reduce current accident levels
    November 15, 2012
    Saudi Arabia is suffering from poor road safety, despite continuing investment in infrastructure. The country’s road crash rate is very high, accounting for up to 19 deaths/day on average. The data shows that Saudi Arabia’s road network one of the most dangerous in the world. The Government of Saudi Arabia has introduced various policies to address the problem and enforcement has become much tougher. Although congestion is being addressed with the construction of new links and the implementation of ITS tech