Drive to recognise car registration plates

Date: 13/02/1997

By Rory Watson

THERE was a time when no self-respecting motorist would venture abroad without a special sticker on the back of the car clearly indicating in which country the vehicle was registered.

Now, as national frontiers come down and travel becomes more commonplace, the practice is falling by the wayside.

But the legal obligation under the 1968 Vienna Convention to display the distinctive lettering remains and failing to do so can - in theory at least - lead to fines.

The problem is now threatening to become more complex as some countries (Portugal, Ireland, Germany and France) allow the introduction of their own Euro-number plates bearing the registration number, the 12-starred Union flag and the appropriate alphabetical letter of the member state involved.

But, as Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock admitted in response to a question from German Christian Democrat MEP Christoph Konrad last year, only identifying a vehicle's national identity on number plates could still leave unsuspecting drivers facing fines.

“Formally, member states could apply the Vienna Convention in requiring an additional distinguishing sign indicating the country of origin of foreign vehicles circulating on their territory,” he said.

Rather than trying to encourage each country to introduce such communautaire number plates, which could leave the Commission open to accusations of unnecessary meddling, officials are now actively seeking ways of at least ensuring that where they do exist, they are recognised by other member states.

Modifying the Vienna Convention to take account of the latest developments is one possible route. But given the number of countries involved and the time this would probably take, this option is being ruled out for the moment.

“We want to see whether we could have a mutual recognition system between member states so that if the 'D', 'GB' or 'F', for instance, are not on a sticker, but on the number plate itself, then that would be sufficient,” explained one EU official.

The idea is currently being examined within the Commission and optimists hope that, once a suitable legal base has been established, concrete proposals might appear within a few months.

In the long run, however, the whole debate may become academic.

“We are already considering getting rid of number plates and in a few years' time could be using electronic vehicle recognition devices instead,” confirmed one transport official.

In the meantime, motorists should beware. “People are certainly being more carefree,” said one official, who had this advice for drivers: “Do not go to Italy or Austria, for instance, without the proper identification stickers.”

But he added: “Of course, a lot depends on the mood of the policemen concerned and whether they like the look of you or not.”