A harmonized European driving license for improved road safety

The increase in cross-border road traffic, whether for tourism or for the transport of goods, is leading more and more European drivers to drive in a Member State other than their own. Embryonic harmonisation, mainly administrative, has existed since the 2000s concerning the issuance of driving licenses. However, according to Renew Europe, it is time to take things a step further to ensure that the requirements for fitness to drive are more standardised across the EU. This was the whole point of the vote taken today in the plenary session of the European Parliament, meeting in Strasbourg, in favour of the proposal for a directive relating to driving licenses, for which our group put forward a pragmatic approach but above all concerned with road safety. .

Dominique RIQUET (Radical Party, France), Renew Europe shadow rapporteur for the European driving license within the parliamentary committee on Transport and Tourism, said: “This is an essential text to strengthen road safety in Europe by increasing requirements for novice drivers. It also introduces a single Europe driving licence document to ensure a better freedom of movement in Europe.”

This report constitutes the position of the European Parliament for the negotiations which will now begin with the Council of the EU. The parliamentary report provides for zero tolerance for novice drivers for taking drugs and alcohol while driving. They also want to see Member States authorise accompanied driving from the age of 17 throughout the EU for the B, C and C1 licenses. This is to make life easier for young people who need a driving license in the many European regions without a sufficient supply of public transport

Likewise, Renew Europe insisted on opening up a career in transport to young people while the sector is experiencing a labour shortage. Concerning the C and C1 licenses, which concerns trucks, the minimum age would decrease from 21 to 18 years, provided that professional training is completed. For the D license, necessary for passenger transport, it would go from 24 to 21 years, also with specialised training.

In order to facilitate the energy transition and to adapt the increasing weight of zero and low-emission vehicles, the report recommends increasing the authorised weights for alternative fuel vehicles in categories B and C.

Finally, the report recommends the creation of a single European driving license format, in digital and physical form.