Description
On 25 March, the European Commission welcomed the provisional agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on its initiative to modernise EU driving licence rules.
The new driving licence directive aims to reduce the number of accidents on EU roads and to reduce undue burdens on citizens and authorities related to administrative procedures. To achieve these objectives, the directive contains several key elements, including the introduction of EU digital driving licences that are accessible via mobile phones or other digital devices and can be used throughout the EU. In addition, an EU-wide accompanied driving regime will be introduced for 17-year-old drivers, a measure that has proven to significantly improve road safety. This regime can also be extended to 17-year-old truck drivers under certain conditions.
The new directive also provides for an EU-wide probationary period for inexperienced drivers, a measure aimed at reducing the risk of accidents among new drivers. Since 2 out of 5 fatal collisions involve drivers under the age of 30, this measure is particularly important. In addition, the directive will introduce new requirements regarding physical and mental fitness to drive.
The safety of pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and other micro-mobility users is also a priority of the new directive. Drivers will have to prove that they are aware of the risk of these vulnerable road users during theoretical and practical tests. The new rules will also allow the recognition of licences issued in certain third countries that have a road safety framework similar to that of the EU.
Digital driving licences
The new rules will introduce a fully digital driving licence, available on a mobile phone or other digital device. It will be issued in the EU digital identity wallet. This innovation will simplify administrative procedures for both citizens and national authorities, while making it much easier to exchange, renew and exchange licences when moving from one Member State to another.
After a short transitional period, digital driving licences will be issued automatically in all Member States. However, physical driving licences will remain available on request, in particular for those who do not have a smartphone or prefer or need a physical document (e.g. when travelling to third countries that do not recognise digital licences).
Accompanied driving schemes for 17-year-old drivers
The new directive introduces an EU-wide accompanied driving regime for 17-year-old car drivers (category B). Accompanied driving systems have been proven to significantly improve road safety. Member States will have the option of introducing such a scheme under certain conditions also for 17-year old car drivers (categories C1, C1E and C), with mutual recognition of such schemes between the Member States that apply it. This measure reduces the 'school-to-wheel' gap, thereby helping to attract more young people to the profession of driver.
Stricter rules for novice drivers
The new directive introduces a probationary period of at least two years for novice drivers, during which they will be subject to stricter rules and penalties throughout the EU. This is essential because, although young drivers account for only 8 per cent of all car drivers, two out of five fatal collisions involve a driver or rider under the age of 30.
More systematic checks on fitness to drive
The fitness to drive of driving licence holders will in future be checked more systematically. The new directive contains several provisions aimed at checking whether a driver is still (physically and mentally) able to drive. As a minimum, drivers will be asked to complete a self-assessment before their licence is issued and at each licence renewal or to comply with other nationally designed assessment systems.
Better protection of vulnerable road users
To better protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and users of electric scooters and other micro-mobility devices, the new regulations adjust training and testing requirements to place greater emphasis on the safety of these groups.
Adapting licensing rules to technical advances
To align licensing standards with technical advances in vehicles and the transition to zero-emission vehicles, the new testing requirements will, for example, assess knowledge and skills related to advanced driver assistance systems and other automated technologies.
Promotion of the use of alternative drive vehicles and other special vehicles
The new driving licence directive also makes it possible to drive vehicles powered by alternative fuels, including emergency vehicles, with a maximum weight of up to 4.25 tonnes (instead of 3.5 tonnes) with a category B licence. This takes into account the fact that vehicles powered by alternative fuels are often heavier than conventionally powered vehicles, e.g. due to the weight of the battery, and should therefore help to promote their market penetration, as a higher licence category is not required to drive them.
New rules will also be introduced to enable drivers holding a category B driving licence to acquire, after targeted training or a test decided on by the Member State, additional rights to drive heavy motor caravans.
EU-wide recognition of EU licences issued in exchange for licences from certain third countries
Currently, EU licences issued in an EU Member State in exchange for driving licences from a third country bear the code '70' and do not have to be recognised by other Member States if their holders reside there. The new directive provides for EU-wide recognition of EU licences issued in exchange for licences issued by certain third countries that have a road safety framework similar to that of the EU. Together with the Member States, the Commission will assess and decide, on a country-by-country basis, which third countries should benefit from this treatment.
Allow citizens to obtain a driving licence in their Member State of origin under certain conditions
Getting a driving licence should not be a language test. Therefore, the new rules will allow citizens to obtain a driving licence in their Member State of nationality in the event that the Member State where they live does not provide interpretation or translation into their (EU) language when they wish to acquire their first category B (car) driving licence.
The European Parliament and the Council will now formally adopt the new directive, which will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. The Member States will have four years to transpose the directive into national law.
Road safety is an important social problem. In 2024, almost 20,000 people were killed in road accidents in the EU. The EU has set itself the ambitious goal of zero road fatalities by 2050, with an intermediate target of a 50 per cent reduction in fatalities by 2030.
Road safety is a shared responsibility between the EU and the Member States. While national and local authorities carry out most of the day-to-day actions, the EU contributes with safety standards for infrastructure and vehicles and for driving tests and licences, coordinates cross-border cooperation between authorities and efforts to exchange best practices, and finances road safety projects.
The directive on which agreement was reached is part of the road safety package, a series of three legislative proposals that the Commission presented on 10 March 2023
Source: European Commission
Image owner: European Commission Representation in Italy