European police call for agreement on cross border enforcement of road traffic laws

EU decision makers meeting today in Brussels must find agreement urgently in the field of cross border enforcement, urges the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL).

TISPOL Director Ad Hellemons is one of the speakers at a two-day road safety conference in Brussels. He will today explain the need to strengthen and improve EU co-operation in the field of road safety.

He says : "This legislation is a necessity at the time of growing non-resident traffic, widening national automated safety camera networks and complex cross border problems posed by offenders, which current bi-lateral and multilateral cooperation agreements are often unable to deal with. It is hoped that agreement on this Directive will finally stop motorists driving away from justice and ensure equal treatment of citizens across the EU.

"Five hundred lives on Europe's roads can be saved by the introduction of this legislation. We appeal to all EU member states to find a solution so that the legislation can be taken forward. It will make a difference but most of all it will save lives.

"We ask for agreement in implementing this legislation, and we offer our full support to the Belgian EU presidency and the European Commission to ensure this becomes a reality."

TISPOL hopes today's discussions represent the perfect opportunity to take forward cross border enforcement and to look at how an effective and consistent policy of traffic enforcement can contribute to the EU's new road safety target to reduce by 50% road traffic deaths in the EU by 2020.