Vehicles

Yes, the manufacturer can be forced to recall a car with a safety defect under EU law if it poses a risk to health or safety.

Yes, the manufacturer is in breach if your new car lacks mandatory EU safety systems, as Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 requires them for all new vehicle types approved from 6 July 2022 and all new vehicles registered from 7 July 2024.

You can report a vehicle safety issue to the European Commission via the EU's Safety Gate (RAPEX) system or contact your national market surveillance authority. The Commission may investigate and coordinate recalls if a serious risk is confirmed.

Yes, in most EU countries you can claim directly against the other driver’s insurer after a road accident, thanks to the EU Motor Insurance Directive.

Yes, car insurance is mandatory in all EU countries for all vehicles used on public roads, covering at least third-party liability.

Yes, you can usually make a claim in Germany under EU rules, even if the accident happened in France.

Yes, your car insurance is valid in all EU countries if it meets the minimum legal requirements of your home country — no extra policy is needed for short-term travel.

No, your insurer generally cannot refuse coverage for an accident in another EU country if you’re lawfully driving there with valid insurance from your home EU country.

Yes, you can still get compensation in most EU countries through a national guarantee fund or compensation scheme for hit-and-run victims.

Yes, as a passenger injured in a car accident in the EU, you generally have the right to claim directly against the driver’s motor insurer under EU law.

Yes, under EU law insurers must handle claims promptly; most Member States impose national deadlines — e.g., 30 days for acknowledgment and 3 months for final decision in many countries.

Yes, the EU sets minimum motor insurance cover amounts, but these are low by modern standards — €1 million per injured person and €5 million per accident for bodily injury.

Yes, the guarantee fund can lawfully reject your claim if the vehicle was used in a serious crime — EU law permits exclusion where the victim was involved in or consented to the criminal use.

Yes, in the EU, your motor insurance must cover the pedestrian’s medical costs up to mandatory minimum limits, as required by the Motor Insurance Directive.

No, a car imported from another EU country does not need new type-approval if it was originally approved under EU type-approval legislation and remains unmodified.

No — a vehicle that fails EU type-approval in one Member State cannot be sold or registered in any other EU country, because type-approval is harmonised and mutually recognised across the EU.

No, the EU Motor Insurance Directive does not automatically cover electric scooters and e-bikes — coverage depends on whether national law classifies them as 'motor vehicles' under the Directive's definition.

Yes, persistent malfunction of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) in a new car may indicate a type-approval failure, as ISA is a mandatory safety system under EU Regulation (EU) 2019/2144.

Under current EU law, the vehicle owner or user is generally liable for damage caused by an autonomous vehicle, unless they can prove the accident was due to a defect covered by product liability rules or third-party fault.

Yes, the manufacturer may be liable under EU type-approval rules if the eCall system failed due to a defect in design, construction, or conformity with Regulation (EU) 2015/758.

Yes, car data recorder (EDR) evidence can be admissible in EU courts, but only if it complies with GDPR, national procedural rules, and evidentiary standards on reliability and authenticity.

You can claim compensation from the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) or equivalent 'Compensation Body' in the EU country where the accident occurred, or in your home country under the EU's Green Card system and Directive 2009/103/EC.

If a vehicle recall fix causes new problems, you may be entitled to repair, replacement, price reduction, or termination of the contract under EU consumer law — especially if the defect was not disclosed and the fix worsens the situation.

Yes, you may sue a manufacturer in the EU for failing to recall a known defective product under the Product Liability Directive and General Product Safety Regulation.

Yes, used cars imported from another EU member state must meet EU-wide type-approval and roadworthiness requirements, including passing a national technical inspection before registration.