Brussels, 03/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - In a press release the European Confederation of Police (EUROCOP) deplored the planned twenty year deadline for replacing the current 110 driving licences that exist in the EU with a single European licence. According to the agreement of 27 March at the Transport Council on the draft directive on introducing the single licence on Community territory by 2032 at the latest, only the new European licences will be in circulation in the EU (EUROPE 9161). EUROCOP, however, says the deadline is too far away. The President of the association, Heinz Kieffer said, “in this way the positive effects of a uniform driving license will only be felt by our grandchildren”. Mr Kieffer explained that the number of licence models in circulation and the lack of safety measures to protect against false documents is “an invitation to criminals and terrorists to make use of this opportunity”. He said it was even more unacceptable because in some countries a driving licence is sufficient proof of identity for the authorities. Kieffer concluded, “We do hope that the European Parliament will introduce some changes to rectify this. EU citizens have the right to expect that the EU addresses issues like this in less than a generation's time”.
EUROCOP's appeal to the European Parliament could, however, be in vain as far as the agreement at the Council is the result of a compromise with the parliament, which in principle, should adopt it soon.