EU Begins Sharing Car Registration Data with the UK from March 2026

EU decision on sharing vehicle registration data with the UK

The European Union has decided that, from 1 March 2026, its member states may give the United Kingdom personal data about vehicle registrations. This is part of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) that the EU signed with the UK on 1 January 2021.

Why the decision was made

• The TCA allows the EU and the UK to exchange data on DNA, fingerprints and vehicle registrations.
• The UK had to show that it met all the conditions in the agreement.
• An evaluation visit to the UK took place from 17 to 20 June 2025. The report, submitted to the EU Council on 17 October 2025, confirmed that the UK had met the required legal, operational and technical standards.
• Because the conditions were met, the EU Council can now set the date from which the data exchange can start.

What the decision says

• The EU will declare that the data exchange can begin on 1 March 2026.
• The UK will be notified of this position through the specialised committee that handles law‑enforcement cooperation.
• The decision becomes effective on the day it is adopted.

Legal basis

The decision is based on EU law: Articles 16(2) and 87(2)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and Article 218(9) TFEU, which give the EU the power to take such positions on behalf of the Union.

Annex – Declaration

The annex simply states: “Member States may supply personal data about vehicle registrations to the United Kingdom from 1 March 2026.”