Irish Regions Office Website

March 20, 2008

Cross-border traffic prosecutions on cards?

The days of non-resident drivers who break traffic laws beyond their own borders escaping punishment could well be numbered after the European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive that should establish a system of EU-wide prosecution of speeding, drunk driving, failure to use seatbelts and running the red light offences (19 March).

As much as 5% of all traffic offences across the EU are estimated to fall into this category - thereby going unsanctioned as national police systems are currently not empowered to pursue the matter in another jurisdiction. The draft directive seeks to create an EU-wide electronic data exchange network (to join-up national databases) and the necessary legal instruments to identify and prosecute perpetrators. This is part of the Commission's continuing efforts to cut the 43,000 killed annually on the EU's roads. "Today, drivers too often think they can escape fines when they are abroad. This proposal should put a stop to this," said EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot. Provided technical issues on the mutual recognition of financial penalties can be overcome, the Commission hopes to find an agreement by next spring, and Member States should then have two years to contribute to the establishment of the data exchange system. Further details from http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/08/168&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Posted by iroronan at March 20, 2008 11:28 AM