On December 9, 2020, the European Commission presented a strategy for sustainable and smart mobility. In the Legislative Action Plan attached to the strategy, the Commission outlined a revision of the Directive on cross-border enforcement of traffic rules. On March 1, 2023, the Commission adopted a road safety package, presenting a proposal to revise the Directive on Cross-Border Enforcement of Traffic Rules. The draft report was published on June 1, 2023.
The TRAN Committee report, authored by MEP Kosma Złotowski, emphasized that the ambitious goals of Vision Zero cannot be achieved without taking action on multiple levels, and that the ability to enforce penalties against foreign drivers who violate traffic laws plays an important preventive role. It also calls for close cooperation with third countries neighboring the European Union, whose citizens are increasingly using our roads.
The aim of the amendment to the directive is to facilitate the cross-border exchange of information concerning crimes or offenses against road safety; which is why the rapporteur focused, among other things, on the tools Member States should have at their disposal to effectively identify foreign perpetrators of traffic crimes and offenses.
The European Commission’s proposal has also been expanded to include the additional offense of fleeing the scene of an accident, which, in the rapporteur’s view, should be covered by these provisions. Furthermore, the document emphasizes that the right of drivers who have committed an offense outside the country where their vehicle is registered to receive clear and understandable information about the procedures and the appeals process must be guaranteed and effectively protected.
“Traveling abroad by car or motorcycle for tourism or work purposes should not mean impunity. I hope that the effective implementation of these provisions will improve safety and significantly reduce the number of road accident victims in the European Union,” commented Kosma Złotowski.
The report was adopted with 37 MEPs in favor, 5 abstentions, and no votes against.
