With 22 votes in favour, 21 against and two abstentions, the MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) adopted their negotiating position on Thursday 7 December. Members of the ECR and EPP groups opposed certain provisions, in particular the stricter rules for novice drivers and compulsory medical check-ups.
“It’s a common-sense vote, which reminds us that the driving licence is a tool for road safety”, said the rapporteur, Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, French), at a press conference after the vote. According to her, the text has taken into account the recommendations of road safety associations, studies by the European Commission, and has been inspired by best practice in EU Member States.
Young drivers
The report calls for stricter rules on the use of psychoactive substances, with zero tolerance for drug use and an alcohol limit of 0.2g/litre of blood.
MEPs want to introduce compulsory training for scooters and small motorbikes, i.e. AM and A1 licences, in order to improve risk prevention for young drivers. They also want Member States to allow accompanied driving throughout the EU for the B licence.
The text also provides for a reduction in the minimum age, depending on the different categories. For the C licence, which covers lorries, the minimum age would be reduced from 21 to 18, on condition that the driver undergoes vocational training. Accompanied driving would also be introduced from the age of 17.
The D licence, which is required for passenger transport, would be reduced from 24 to 21 years of age with training. Driving could start at the age of 18 with an empty bus or coach, and at 19 the driver could carry passengers within his or her own country.
“Let’s provide young drivers with the opportunity to hone their skills in real-world conditions and tackle the professional driver shortage while upholding stringent road safety standards”, argued MEP Elżbieta Łukacijewska (EPP, Polish) in a statement.
“With 14 per cent youth unemployment in the EU, a pressing shortage of half a million professional drivers and an ageing workforce, there is an urgent need to open up the profession to young people”, says the press release.
Ms Delli replied that this was “not a sufficient condition to ensure decent working conditions for these drivers”.
Medical check-up
In their position, MEPs suggest the introduction of a compulsory medical examination when a driving licence is issued and when it is renewed, at least every 15 years for motorbikes, cars and tractors, and every five years for lorries and buses.
This medical check-up would be carried out according to the procedures chosen by the Member States. Ms Delli stressed the importance of assessing driving ability for road safety.
“We cannot agree to mandatory medical tests, including for categories AM and A1”, Ms Łukacijewska reacted.
Initially, the TRAN Committee was also due to vote on the decision to begin discussions with the Member States without going through the validation process in plenary. According to a European source contacted on Wednesday 6 December, Ms Delli preferred to cancel the vote. “Even if, ideally, we could have started the inter-institutional negotiations in the hope of concluding them under the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, it is obvious that this should not be done without an unambiguous and wide backing from the whole Commission”, she justified. The plenary vote is scheduled to take place in February.
For its part, the Council adopted its negotiating position earlier this week (see EUROPE 13306/3).
To read the compromise amendments, not all of which were adopted, go to https://aeur.eu/f/a1m (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)