The amended rules aim to better protect injured people when accidents occur in any EU member state, including domestic victims of an accident caused by a driver from another EU country.

THE EXEMPTION FOR MOTORSPORT CONFIRMED

As far as motorsport activities are concerned, the scope of the Motor Insurance Directive has been clarified: vehicles intended exclusively for motorsports are excluded from the scope of the directive.

Jean Todt, FIA President, said: « The FIA welcomes the revision of the Motor Insurance Directive approved yesterday. Through the exemption granted for motorsport activities, the EU institutions have ended a long period of legal uncertainty following the VNUK jurisprudence in 2014 and allow motorsport activities to maintain their specific insurance schemes, without jeopardising the protection of the competitors and those involved in competitions». 

The Rapporteur of the European Parliament, Dita Charanzová (Renew, CZ), said: “(…) With this political agreement we have additionally managed to curb absurd overregulation of motorsports (...)”

Jean Todt added: “I would particularly like to thank all key contributors to this outcome, notably the current EU Portuguese Presidency and the European Parliament, who have managed to close this complex negotiation in such a difficult context.”

NEXT STEP

The provisional agreement between the European Parliament and the Council will now have to be formally approved by both institutions, prior to its publication in the EU Official Journal. The new rules will start to apply 24 months after the entry into force, leaving time for the Member States to transpose the new Directive at national level.

FURTHER INFORMATION

- Press release of the European Parliament: “Deal reached on new rules to better protect road accident victims”
- Twitter European Parliament, IMCO Committee Press: https://t.co/9ryP5Qt1qw
- Press Release of the European Commission: “Motor Insurance: Commission welcomes European Parliament and Council agreement to update the Motor Insurance Directive”
 
BACKGROUND

Since 2017, the FIA has, with the support of its national sporting authorities (ASNs) and numerous other motorsport stakeholders, continuously called for the recognition of an exemption for motorsport activities and events.

In May 2018, the European Commission published a proposed review of the Motor Insurance Directive, aiming to strengthen EU rules on motor insurance, to better protect victims of motor vehicle accidents and improve the rights of insurance policyholders. (31 May 2018 - FIA Statement to the European Commission proposal to amend the Motor Insurance Directive)

In February 2019, the FIA welcomed the work conducted by the European Parliament and its rapporteur Ms. Dita Charanzová, who has shown a clear understanding of this complex matter and of the specific concerns shared by motorsport stakeholders. (https://www.fia.com/news/updated-motor-insurance-directive-fia-welcomes-final-report-adopted-european-parliament)