Commission welcomes the agreement on new rules for better cross-border enforcement of traffic laws

The Commission welcomes the Parliament and Council’s final adoption of the Directive to strengthen cross-border enforcement of road traffic rules.

While previous EU rules improved compliance with road safety regulations by non-resident drivers, a significant gap remains, with approximately 40% of cross-border offences going unpunished due to challenges in identifying offenders or enforcing fines. The newly adopted rules tackle these shortcomings by enhancing cooperation among Member States, streamlining offender identification, and facilitating fine enforcement.

Cooperation between national authorities will not only focus on the most common and serious offenses like speeding, drunk and drugged driving, but also on other hazardous behaviours, including hit-and-runs, wrong-way driving, reckless overtaking and parking, as well as failing to yield to emergency vehicles such as ambulances.

Sustainable Transport and Tourism Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas (pictured) said: “Every year, more than 20,000 people die on Europe’s roads. To bring this unacceptable number down, it is crucial that there is a real deterrent effect from enforcement of road traffic rules – drivers have to know that if they break road rules and put others in danger, they will pay the consequences for their actions, regardless of whether they are driving in their home country or abroad.”