Combating cross-border vehicle crime

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 2004/919/EC on tackling vehicle crime with cross-border implications

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

It establishes a common EU-wide approach to tackling vehicle crime involving more than one EU country. It aims to improve cooperation between EU countries and between their respective law enforcement authorities.

KEY POINTS

This decision requires EU countries to:

enhance mutual cooperation between the competent national authorities;
facilitate procedures for a quick repatriation of vehicles seized by the national authorities;
designate a contact point for tackling cross-border vehicle crime;
and, whenever a vehicle is reported stolen, to enter it in that part of the Schengen Information System (SIS) database containing vehicle registration information and, where possible, in Interpol’s stolen motor vehicle database.

The decision notes the significant link between vehicle crime and other forms of organised crime, such as trafficking in drugs, firearms and human beings.

Cooperation

EU countries are required to take the necessary steps to enhance cooperation:

between national authorities in order to combat cross-border vehicle crime;
between competent authorities and representatives of the private sector (such as holders of private registers of missing vehicles, insurers and the car trade) in order to coordinating information and action in this field.

EU countries are also asked to pay specific attention to export control and to streamline the quick repatriation of recovered stolen vehicles.

Exchange of information

EU countries are required to establish national contact points (NCPs) for exchanging information on tackling vehicle crime — this has led to the creation of a network of NCPs (CARPOL).
Information exchange includes methods and best practices of prevention of vehicle crime but excludes personal data.
Regular alerts should be issued for stolen vehicles and registration certificates in the SIS and, where possible, in Interpol’s stolen motor vehicle database.
National law enforcement authorities are asked to keep Europol informed of vehicle crime perpetrators.

Vehicle registration certificates

EU countries are asked to prevent abuse and theft of vehicle registration certificates. The law enforcement authorities must, therefore:

inform the national vehicle registration authorities if a vehicle which is in the process of being registered is known to have been stolen;
recover the registration certificate if a vehicle is seriously damaged (total loss).

The Council also recommends:

checking the registration certificate if there is doubt over the vehicle’s identity;
that the relevant law enforcement authorities have specialist training from the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training in the field of vehicle crime prevention and detection.

Assessment

The decision has been reviewed twice in 2008 and 2016. The most recent review has found that CARPOL added professionalism to and strengthened the network of NCPs, and that there remains a need to need to maintain CARPOL in the long term.
A 2017 Comprehensive Assessment of EU security policy found that the objectives and mechanisms set out in the decision still fit current needs.
The assessment also notes that Europol is actively supporting CARPOL such as by hosting meetings and by supporting joint investigation teams on the theft of luxury cars or on drugs trafficking.

FROM WHEN HAS THE DECISION APPLIED?

I has applied since 30 December 2004.

BACKGROUND

European Vehicle and Driving Licence Information System (Eucaris).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Decision 2004/919/EC of 22 December 2004 on tackling vehicle crime with cross-border implications (OJ L 389, 30.12.2004, pp. 28-30)