UK backs off supporting EU cross border directiveItem Added 11 October 2008Recent statements in the European Transport Council highlight UK government opposition to the proposal for the cross-border road safety directive
UK representatives were among several member states opposing the directive during the second round debate in the council’s meeting in Luxembourg on 9 October. Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium and Slovenia supported the directive.
“Along with Germany and several other member states, the UK was opposed because it would prefer a different legal basis” explained SPARKS programme manager Bill Blakemore.
Click here to hear the UK statement. [2MB .mp3]
“A few member states believe the directive should be created under the “third pillar” as an intergovernmental crime and justice measure. Such an approach excludes the European Parliament from the legislation process, and would block the European Commission’s current initiative.”
European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani, who is also Commissioner for Transport, highlighted the inconsistency between this position and the Lisbon Treaty, which all governments have signed. He reminded council members that the distinction between the first and third pillars has all but disappeared under the treaty.
The French presidency has been attempting to broker a compromise and has now referred the directive back to the be committee of permanent representatives, to try and identify solutions for the next council meeting in December.
“Some ministers appeared to be more interested in drawing fine distinctions between institutional competences than in addressing fundamental issues of reducing fatal road accidents. Unless a compromise is found by the time the Council meets again, the EU will have lost a major opportunity to resolve a difficult road traffic issue – how to make national traffic laws effective when a large number of offending vehicles are visitors.” said Bill Blakemore.
“The UK government view was disappointing, and was very different to the stance taken at the Tispol Conference in Harrogate at the end of September. Then in answer to my question, transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick said that the UK government did support the Commission’s road safety proposal.
“We now question how serious the British government is about enforcing safe driving legislation against vehicles owners from other EU member states.
Without new European legislation SPARKS members believe the UK will continue to have an unfair enforcement regime, with foreign drivers able to ignore traffic laws with impunity while UK drivers are penalised. |
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Facts & Figures- The number of European visitors has increased by almost 50% in the last five years
- 7.9m people visited the UK in 2005 in 1.3m cars, 44,000 coaches, or on foot through the ports
- At any one time 37,500 FRVs are in the UK driven by tourists
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