UK number plates may be AXED by the EU and replaced with 'common colours' and 'ID tags'

EU plans which could lead to the scrapping of the 110-year-old British licence plate design were condemned last night.



The European Parliament is considering proposals for a common European design for all vehicle number plates. It also calls for all vehicles and number plates to be fitted with 'identification tags'.



The move has also raised fears Europe could force all licence plates to carry the EU flag.

All cars could be forced to comply to EU number plate regulations - including possibly the EU flag

Last night Tory MEPs rounded on the move, branding it 'idiotic'. There was also opposition from motoring groups and fears about the cost of replacing existing plates with a new design.



Syed Kamall, leader of Britain's Conservative MEPs, said he would be fighting the plan 'all the way'.



'We aim to keep our number plates just as they are, thank you.



He added: 'You can bet your life the common design would incorporate the EU flag. The eurocrats have failed to force us to put their symbol on our sports shirts or to fly it above our public buildings...now they are trying make it compulsory on our cars.'



'Most British motorists want British number plates - not European ones.'



The proposal emerged in new documents from the European Parliament seen by the Daily Mail.



They were inserted into simpler plans supposed to make it easier for people to register vehicles in a different EU country, to improve trade in cars and free movement around the continent.

The proposed move has come under fire both nationally and from some MEPs

The documents state: 'The Commission should consider whether the cross-border trade in and free movement of vehicles could be further increased by introducing safeguards against fraudulent use of number plates and by equipping vehicles and their number plates with identification tags.'



'The Commission could also consider whether the obstacles faced by citizens and businesses when transferring their vehicles from one Member State to another could be further offset if there were a possibility of equipping their vehicles with number plates in common colours.'



The plans are thought to have the support of large numbers of MEPs - making it more likely they could become law.



Mr Kamall said the licence plate proposals were the work of a Dutch liberal democrat MEP.



He said: 'He has introduced completely unnecessary clauses seeking a common design for all European number plates and a common system of identification tags.'



The suggestion of identity tags - supposedly intended to protect against fraud - raised fears it could lead to an EU-wide database of vehciles.



RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: 'The British number plate is simple, highly effective and, while it has changed several times over the years, has been part of our driving heritage for 110 years.



'While there are clearly benefits to be had from having the same style of number plate throughout Europe with identification tags to stop fraud, it would be a real shame to lose ours.'



'It ought to be possible to come up with a set of common guidelines that allow countries to adapt their number plates slightly without going for full standardisation.

