site.btaEC Call on Bulgaria and Five More Member States to Fully Transpose Motor Insurance Directive

The European Commission said Thursday it has decided to send reasoned opinions to Bulgaria, Spain, Latvia, Malta, Portugal and Romania for failing to notify it of complete transposition of the amended Motor Insurance Directive (Directive (EU) 2021/2118 amending Directive 2009/103/EC) into national law.

The Motor Insurance Directive seeks to strengthen the protection of victims of traffic accidents across the EU. To that end, the amended Directive clarifies the scope of that protection, facilitates checks on compulsory motor insurance and sets up a mechanism to compensate victims in case of insolvency of the responsible insurer. It also facilitates switching between insurers for policyholders by ensuring equal and non-discriminatory treatment of claims history statements.

The deadline to transpose the Directive into national law was December 23, 2023. On January 25, 2024, the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to the Member States concerned for not having communicated to the Commission its full transposition.

As a satisfactory response did not follow, the Commission has now decided to issue reasoned opinions to Bulgaria, Spain, Latvia, Malta, Portugal and Romania. They now have two months to respond and take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the cases to the Court of Justice of the European Union.