Modernised EU rules on driving licences, driving disqualifications enter into force

Modernised rules on driving licences and mutual recognition of driving disqualifications enter into force across the EU as of November 25, the European Commission (EC) said.

The measures aim to reduce the number of crashes on EU roads and undue administrative burden on citizens and authorities, the EC said.

Last year alone, 19 940 lives were lost on EU roads.

“This shows steady but slow progress toward the EU’s Vision Zero goal of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and getting close to eliminating them by 2050.”

The new rules include measures that have been proven to significantly improve road safety, including the introduction of an EU-wide accompanied driving scheme for 17-year-old drivers and an EU-wide probationary period for novice drivers.

Mutual recognition of driving disqualifications will ensure that drivers who commit serious offenses face consequences, no matter if they were driving within or outside their home country.

Additionally, the EU introduces digital EU driving licences that can be accessed on mobile phones or other digital devices, and can be used across the EU.

The new Directive on driving licences introduces a fully digital driving licence, available on a mobile phone or other digital device.

It will be issued into the EU Digital Identity Wallet.

“This innovation will simplify administrative procedures for citizens and national authorities alike, while making licence replacement, renewal, and exchange significantly easier when moving between member states,” the EC said.

After a brief transitionary period, digital driving licences will be issued by default in all member states.

However, physical driving licences remain available at request, particularly for those who do not possess a smartphone or prefer or need a physical document (e.g. when travelling to third countries that do not recognise digital licences). 

The new Directive introduces an EU-wide accompanied driving scheme for 17-year-old drivers of cars (category B).

Accompanied driving schemes have been proven to significantly improve road safety, the EC said. Member states will have the possibility to introduce such a scheme under certain conditions also for 17-year-old lorry drivers (categories C1, C1E and C), with mutual recognition of such schemes among the member states that apply it. This measure reduces the “school-to-wheel” gap, thus helping to attract more young people to the profession of lorry driver. 

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 sanctions in the whole EU. This is essential as even if young drivers only represent eight per cent of all car drivers, two out of five fatal collisions involve a driver or rider aged under 30. 

The fitness to drive of driving licence holders will in the future be more systematically checked. The new Directive contains several provisions that aim at ascertaining whether a driver is still (physically and mentally) fit to drive.

As a minimum, drivers will be asked to fill in a self-assessment before a licence is issued to them and at each licence renewal or comply with other assessment systems designed at the national level. 

To better protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and users of e-scooters and other micromobility devices, the new rules adjust training and testing requirements to place greater emphasis on the safety of these groups. 

To bring driving licencing rules in line with vehicle technical advancements and the transition to zero-emission vehicles, new testing requirements will, for example, assess the knowledge and skills linked to advanced driving assistance systems and other automated technologies. 

The new Driving Licence Directive also allows driving with a category B licence alternatively fuelled vehicles, including emergency vehicles, with a maximum weight up to 4.25 tonnes (instead of 3.5 tonnes).

This takes account of the fact that alternatively fuelled vehicles are often heavier than conventionally powered vehicles, e.g. due to the weight of the battery, and thus should help promote their market uptake, as no higher licence category is needed to drive them.

New rules will also be introduced allowing drivers holding a category B driving licence to, after some targeted training or testing decided for by the Member State, acquire additional rights to drive heavy motor caravans. 

Right now, EU licences issued in one EU member state in exchange for driving licences originating in a third country are marked with code ‘70’ and do not have to be recognised by other member states if their holders take up residence there.

The new Directive provides for the EU-wide recognition of EU licences issued in exchange for licences from specific third countries which have a road safety framework similar to the EU. Together with member states, the Commission will assess and decide on a country-by-country basis which third countries are to benefit from such treatment. 

“Taking your driving licence should not be a language exam,” the EC said. Therefore, the new rules will allow citizens to obtain their driving licence in their member state of citizenship in case the member state they live in does not provide interpretation or translation in their (EU) language, when they wish to acquire their first category B (passenger car) driving licence. 

The new Directive on driving disqualifications will ensure that drivers who commit serious offenses in one member state face consistent consequences across the EU, the EC said.

Through a system of mutual recognition, disqualifications issued in one member state will now apply across the EU for serious offences such as excessive speeding (50 km/h over the limit), driving under the influence, and causing death or serious injury by reckless driving. 

The new legislation is now in force and will become applicable in member states in four years, after transposition  into national legislation, with an exception for the rules on alternatively powered vehicles and accompanied driving, which will become applicable in two and three years, respectively.