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

  • Better road safety reduces Europe’s casualty figures
    October 2, 2014
    Improving road safety in the EU has resulted in a drop in the fatality rate. Official figures just released show that the number of people killed on Europe's roads fell by 8% in 2013. This follows on from the drop in fatalities of between 2011 and 2012 and Europe is on track to halve road deaths in the 2010-2020 period Figures released by the European Commission provide grounds for optimism and Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said, “We welcome the reductio
  • The risk of drugged driving on Europe’s roads
    May 1, 2018
    Drivers under the influence of drugs present a major hazard to road safety, according to a new report by the pan-European police agency TISPOL The risk from driving under the influence of psycho-active drugs results in road fatalities and injuries from crashes right across Europe, according to the report. The problem relates to both legal prescription medication as well as illegal drugs, notes TISPOL – European Traffic Police Network – which was established by the traffic police forces of Europe to impro
  • Road safety concern for Europe
    May 19, 2015
    A quick look at corporate results for some of the major construction equipment manufacturers paints a somewhat confusing picture of current demand. Caterpillar, the world’s largest manufacturer of off-highway machines and for so long a bell-wether for the construction sector, recently released results showing a drop in profits. CNH and Volvo CE too have been similarly afflicted with a lower than expected financial performance, perhaps a major factor in Volvo CE's decision to pull out of a joint venture part
  • Europe’s road safety is not improving as previously
    April 3, 2012
    The latest official figures on road safety in Europe are giving cause for concern, with data showing casualty reduction has slowed. EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas recently announced a disappointing progress on casualty reduction on Europe's roads. The joint European police association, TISPOL, has added that it is also concerned that improvements in cutting fatalities on Europe’s roads significantly slowed in 2011.