Brussels, 08/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - Thursday's Transport Council in Luxembourg reached agreement on the proposal for a directive to harmonise provisions relating to driving licenses throughout Community territory. This is, however, only a general guideline stage as the European Parliament has not yet taken a stance on the issue at first reading. The agreement reached unanimously comes very close to the initial European Commission proposal since Member States will not be under an obligation to change existing driving licenses when the directive takes effect. The old "paper" driving licenses and new "plastic" licenses will therefore happily co-exist on Community territory. (For the Council, see also yesterday's EUROPE, p.10).
The proposal presented in October 2003 aims to facilitate mutual recognition of driving licenses, reduce fraud and improve road safety (EUROPE of 23 October). It prescribes that, six years after entry into effect, it will be compulsory for all new driving licenses to be issued in plastic format with limited validity (ten years for cars and motorbikes, five years for buses and lorries). The holder of a "paper" driving license with unlimited duration and which is currently in force may, however, keep the license as such when the directive takes effect. In its general guidelines, the Council takes up the Commission's position on this point. It has, however, set out a safeguard for Member States concerned about the obligation of mutual recognition for the old driving licenses. If a citizen of a Member State decides to settle on the territory of another Member State, then that citizen may initially keep the same driving licence. However, two years after he/she has changed countries, the new citizen may have to renew the driving license to comply with Community provisions.
The Council also provides for greater flexibility for minimum age thresholds imposed by the Commission for each kind of permit. By way of example, the Commission wished to impose a minimum 16-year age limit for motorbike permits. One Member State could decide to issue licenses for this kind of vehicle from the age of 14 but such licenses would only be valid in that country. Similarly, a State could decide to make the minimum age 18, but for its own citizens only, and will have to allow citizens of another Member State to ride motorbikes on that territory from the age of 16. In the same way, the Council allows Member States to lower the age to 17 on their national territory for driving licenses for cars, whereas the Commission recommends the age of 18.