Overview

• EU member states formally adopted a directive to mutually recognize driving bans for serious traffic violations.
• The measure covers offences such as drunk driving, excessive speeding and fatal accidents, requiring a minimum three-month suspension and exhaustion of legal remedies in the issuing state.
• The directive will take up to three years to implement, after which bans will be valid across all EU territories.
• Since 2024, Germany’s Bundesamt für Justiz has enforced foreign fines starting at €70 and includes Swiss penalties, with Austria applying enforcement from €25.
• Travelers now face immediate liability for infractions abroad and can consult the ADAC fines calculator to compare penalty levels across European countries.