On Thursday 26 October, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) examined the amendments to the draft report on the revision of the European driving licence. They hotly debated the proposals put forward by Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, French) (see EUROPE 13248/22), notably concerning accompanied driving, points-based driving licences and the creation of an additional category, B+, for cars weighing more than 1.8 tonnes.
Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska (EPP, Polish) reported that her group had submitted more than 100 amendments, based on the European Commission’s impact assessment. “We need to legislate to make the law applicable”, she said. She opposed the EU-wide introduction of the points-based driving licence system and the creation of an additional category B+. “I can’t imagine that European families would have to sit an exam again to obtain this additional permit”, she stressed.
Ms Delli defended herself by insisting that she did not want to impose the points system, but simply to extend it to those countries wishing to do so. As for category B+, she recommended “a few hours’ training to become familiar with SUV-type vehicles”, which are heavier than other cars. In her view, the aim is not to penalise drivers, but to protect them.
Ms Łukacijewska was also concerned about the risk of eliminating accompanied driving, particularly because of the shortage of professional drivers: “We need to make it easier to learn to drive”, she said. Thomas Rudner (S&D, German), speaking on behalf of Achille Variati (S&D, Italian), said that the creation of a system of accompanied driving at the age of 17 for category B and C licences, as proposed by the European Commission, was “totally inadequate”. “Unfortunately, the statistical majority of road accidents involve drivers in the youngest age groups”, he argued. He also expressed doubts as to whether this measure would be a solution to the driver shortage.
Ms Delli welcomed the proposal by Dominique Riquet (Renew Europe, French) to make medical examinations more difficult, without age limits, and to make the issue and renewal of licences subject to a medical examination carried out by a competent authority, leaving it up to the Member States to determine how this should be done.
She was also in favour of Mr Variati’s proposal to include a zero-tolerance provision for drug use extended to all drivers, not just novices.
Finally, she confirmed her support for the proposal by Elena Kountoura (The Left, Greek) to restrict the driving of small motorbikes to those aged 16 and over, with a specific driving test and theory test.
Read the proposed amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/9b8 ; https://aeur.eu/f/9b9 (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)