Brussels ends with indulgence! A abroad mandate will be obtained by a Polish bailiff

No more sense of impunity on European roads. Drivers who have so far ignored the tickets received abroad must prepare for the revolution. The European Union is finalising work on fresh government to full seal the strategy of enforcement of road traffic offences. This means that the mandate from Germany, France or Italy will become as inevitable as that issued in Poland. Moreover, in the absence of payment, the case will be dealt with by the Polish authorities, including the bailiff.

The proposed amendments to the EU Directive on cross-border exchange of information are a real breakthrough. Brussels wants drivers from across the Community to be treated equally, regardless of the country in which they committed the offence. The current strategy has been leaky and law enforcement authorities had limited opportunities to claim claims from foreigners. The fresh regulations to enter into force in 2026 close this door erstwhile and for all, introducing forced execution mechanisms throughout the Union.

No more avoiding payments. How will the fresh strategy work?

The basis for the forthcoming amendments is the amendment Directive 2015/413, which regulates the rules of cooperation between the enforcement services. The European Commission has considered that the solutions to date are insufficient. In practice, many drivers, including Poles, avoided responsibility, hoping that the abroad call for payment would never be effectively enforced.

New strategy launches mandatory and efficient cooperation between associate States. erstwhile abroad police registry a vehicle offence on Polish numbers, they will ask Polish authorities to supply the owner's data. Poland will be required to supply this information within 60 days. The ticket will then be sent straight to the driver. What is crucial is that Brussels wants to harmonise the pattern of writings so that they are understandable to all EU citizen.

This is simply a fundamental change that eliminates the administrative barriers to date. The strategy is to operate automatically and absolutely, preventing correspondence and stalling from being ignored.

A wider list of offences. You'll pay a ticket for that, too.

The fresh rules not only seal the system, but besides extend the catalogue of offences subject to cross-border enforcement. To date, the directive has mainly included the most serious offences, specified as crucial speeding, drinking and red light.

After the changes, the list will be importantly extended and cover offences that many drivers commit almost instinctively. Among the following will be added to the cross-border criminal catalogue:

• Using your mobile telephone while driving.
• Invalid parking or stopping the vehicle.
• Safety belts not fastened by the driver or passengers.
• Not giving up first ft at the crossing.
• Driving on an emergency lane or bus.
• Failure to comply with the work to make a “life corridor”.

Extending the list means that almost any, even minor, violation of regulations abroad can consequence in a mandate that will surely scope Poland.

Missing letter is no problem. The execution will be imminent.

The most severe change for drivers will be the enforcement mechanism. The fresh provisions presume that the mandate will be considered successfully deliveredEven if the driver doesn't choice up the registered letter on purpose. No more excuses about lost correspondence or address problems.

If the punished driver does not pay the mandate within the prescribed time limit, the substance will be automatically transferred to enforcement authorities in the country of registration of the vehicle – in the case of Poles, to the applicable institutions in Poland. They'll take over the debt collection. The amount of the mandate will be converted to Polish gold according to the authoritative course, and additional administrative costs may occur.

In practice, this means that an unpaid mandate from France or Austria can lead to occupation of remuneration, bank account or initiating repo proceedings in Poland. The effectiveness of enforcement will so be the same as national mandates or another civilian obligations.

Why is the Union tightening the rules? Safety first

The European Commission's motivation for specified stringent changes is, above all, to improve road safety. EU statistic show that abroad drivers are 3 times more likely to commit road traffic offences than residents of a country. The sense of anonymity and the low collection of tickets led to bravado and disregard for local regulations.

The aim of the regulation is to address this legal gap and guarantee that all road users feel the same responsibility, regardless of nationality. As EU officials point out, this is not about punishment for punishment itself, but about prevention. The awareness of the inevitability of the punishment is intended to be the most effective deterrent and lead to greater respect for road rules throughout the Community.

Poland, like another associate States, has already begun preparing for the implementation of the fresh rules. Ministry of Infrastructure examines the impact of regulations and is working on adapting national information systems and administrative procedures to be ready for the start of the strategy in 2026. For drivers, it is the last bell to change their habits and realize that the era of permissiveness on European roads is coming to an end.