| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: DG Mobility and Transport |
|---|---|
| Series Details | COM (2023) 126 |
| Publication Date | 01/03/2023 |
| Content Type | Blog & Commentary, News, Policy-making |
Summary:Legislative initiative tabled by the European Commission on 1 March 2023, introducing amendments to Directive (EU) 2015/413 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road-safety-related traffic offences. This is a text with EEA relevance. Further information:Directive (EU) 2015/413 - also known as the CBE Directive - sets out rules to reduce the impunity of foreign drivers who commit dangerous traffic offences by making it easier for police authorities in different Member States of the European Union (EU) to share information to identify offenders. As part of its 2018 Mobility Package, the European Commission issued a Strategic Action Plan on Road Safety where it called for a new approach to counter the stagnating trend in road safety figures in the European Union (EU) and move closer to the long-term goal of zero road fatalities across the EU by 2050. In 2019, the Commission published its EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030 - Next step towards Vision Zero, in which interim targets were proposed. The target of zero fatalities in all modes of transport by 2050 was reiterated by the 2020 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, which also announced the revision of the CBE Directive. The cross-border enforcement of road-safety-related traffic offences is one of the main pillars of the system as it reduces the impunity of foreign drivers. Previous assessment estimated that non-resident drivers are more likely to commit speeding offences than resident drivers. One of the identified reasons was that non-residents perceived that they were less likely to be sanctioned when driving in a country where they did not reside and they were less likely to face judicial action if they did not pay fines imposed by foreign authorities. The existing CBE Directive contributed to removing the anonymity of foreign offenders by increasing the number of investigated cross-border cases, but also confirmed its limitations since its deterrent effect was not sufficient to remove the offenders' impunity. This draft law seeks to further enhance road safety by extending the scope of the CBE Directive to other road-safety-related traffic offences and streamlining related investigations for offences committed abroad, thus facilitating the cross-border enforcement of sanctions. It also aims to improve the protection of fundamental rights of non-resident drivers. The objectives include:
The draft law builds on the objectives of the existing framework but also responds to the need for an increased sustainability and digital transformation of road transport. The proposal was announced in the Commission's 2022 Work Programme. It was eventually adopted on 1 March 2023 as part of Road Safety legislative package. The package sought to ensure a consistent approach in the field of road safety as regards cross-border enforcement of road traffic rules. The European Parliament's relevant committee adopted a negotiating position for the proposal on 29 November. The Council of the European Union adopted its general approach to the text on 4 December. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text for this file was reached on 13 March 2024. |
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| Source Link | https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2023:126:FIN |
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| Subject Categories | Justice and Home Affairs, Mobility and Transport |
| Subject Tags | Police | Judicial Cooperation, Road Transport |
| Keywords | Road Safety |
| International Organisations | European Union [EU] |
