Cross-Border Speeding Gets EU Assembly Red Light

The European Parliament voted on Wednesday to force drivers caught speeding outside their home state to pay local fines, but the measure may stall in the face of some EU member state opposition.

Drivers who commit a motoring offence in an EU country other than their own can typically avoid paying the penalty imposed on local drivers due to legal and administrative difficulties in forcing them to pay.

Under the measure all drivers can be identified and fined for speeding, drink-driving, not wearing a seatbelt or running a red light anywhere in the 27-nation bloc.

"Drivers think twice before breaking the rules if they know that fines will follow them home," said Graham Watson, leader of the EU assembly's liberal bloc.

Offenders would be tracked through a cross-country data exchange network.

It will be evaluated after two years, when its scope can be extended to cover other violations as well.

EU states, which have joint say on the measure with the European assembly, are yet to give the green light to a final deal with parliament.

Britain, Germany, Sweden and others dispute that such powers can be granted under EU law because they involve penal sanctions in some countries, an area limited to national law where states can reach bilateral agreements, a parliamentary official said.

Belgium and France signed an accord this year along the lines of the measure parliament adopted.