Drunk Driving Penalties to Be Enforced EU-Wide Under New Agreement

A new provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Polish presidency of the Council of the EU will make penalties for speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and causing accidents or fatalities enforceable across the European Union. This agreement aims to combat reckless driving and ensure that penalties for such offenses are recognized throughout the EU.

Currently, penalties for offenses such as speeding or drunk driving apply only in the country where the violation occurs and are not typically enforced in the country that issued the driver's license or in other EU states. Under the new rules, the country that imposes the penalty will notify the issuing country of the driver's license, which in turn will alert all other EU member states. This will ensure that sanctions apply across the EU.

The country imposing the penalty will have 20 working days to inform the driver of the measures taken, along with information on how to appeal. After five years, the European Commission will assess whether to broaden the scope of offenses covered by this regulation and impose stricter deadlines for exchanging information between member states on enforcement.

Despite these developments, there are exceptions. If the country that issued the driver's license believes the driver's right to be heard has been violated, it may decide not to apply the penalty. The agreement still requires approval from the EU Council and the European Parliament before it becomes fully effective.