Brussels, 06/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - After over three years of impasse, mainly at the level of the Council, the European Parliament finally approved, on Wednesday 5 July, the compromise text relating to the cross-border exchange of information on traffic offences. This measure should prove dissuasive and have a positive impact on road safety. Studies show that drivers are three times more likely to breach the Highway Code when driving outside their own country. Furthermore, foreign drivers account for 5% of domestic traffic but are the cause of 15% of speeding offences. As few non-resident drivers are prosecuted, this gives a feeling of impunity. Cross-border police cooperation is insufficient for the identification of foreign traffic offenders.
The directive to which the Parliament has given its clearance means that member states may have access to details of the driver or vehicle registration certificate, via the establishment of an electronic data exchange network. Offenders may therefore receive a private, registered letter informing them of the offence committed and of any punishment due.
Offences. The directive does not aim to harmonise infringements at European level. The new measures will relate to eight offences identified, four of which could cause fatal accidents: - speeding, driving under the influence of drink or drugs, not wearing seatbelts, burning a red light, not wearing crash helmets, using bus lanes and other banned thoroughfares, and illegal use of mobile phones or other communication equipment while driving.
Penalties. Member states will remain free to apply sanctions applicable on their territory. Foreign drivers will therefore be subject to the penalties of the country in which the offence has been committed.
Although many MEPs were disappointed by the lack of ambition shown in the final text, it was with relief that the positive vote in Parliament was received. On the eve of the vote, rapporteur Ines Ayala-Sender (S&D, Spain) entreated the Liberals not to spend time on correlation tables that could make the agreement fail for purely institutional reasons.
The directive should be unanimously adopted by the Council of Ministers in order to be able to take effect the day following its publication. Member states will have two years at most in which to apply the new rules, except for Ireland, the United Kingdom and Denmark, which remain for now outside the system. (Cor./transl.jl)